Politics

‘Too Little, Too Late’: East Palestine Residents Needle Biden’s Response To Toxic Derailment, Protest Ahead Of Visit

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Residents of East Palestine, Ohio, gathered to protest ahead of President Joe Biden’s scheduled visit to the town Friday, needling the administration’s response to a toxic train derailment that occurred over a year ago.

A train carrying toxic chemicals derailed near East Palestine, Ohio, Feb. 3, 2023, prompting evacuations and shelter-in-place orders as authorities moved to address the release of the chemicals. Residents criticized Biden for taking over a year to visit the site of the incident, according to WKBN.com.

“I’ve talked to some people in the town and people have reached out to me and I’ve said the slogan is, ‘it’s too little, too late,’” Michael Young told the Youngstown, Ohio-based TV station. “It took a year for you to come here, and it’s amazing that now you’re coming here just around election time.”

POTUS IN EAST PALESTINE:

Some residents in the community opposing President Biden’s visit. Supporters of Former President Donald Trump have been setting up in this spot downtown for the past hour. @WTOV9 pic.twitter.com/4ihCAIkduZ

— Chloë Mesogitis (@ChloeWTOV9) February 16, 2024

Biden announced Jan. 31 he would visit the city, fulfilling a promise to visit East Palestine made in March 2023. Former President Donald Trump delivered water and other supplies to the town Feb. 22, 2023, a day before Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg visited.

“Too little, too late,” East Palestine resident Peggy Caratelli told WTOV9.com, a Steubenville, Ohio-based TV station. “He has been trying to make some efforts behind the scenes to send different people in to help us. But the story goes that he’s overseeing all that. But as far as the interacting with residents goes and trying to calm their fears or what have you, it hasn’t been happening.”

“He’s only coming because it’s election season,” Angela Ware told WTOV9.com. “He don’t care. Be should’ve came a year [ago], like he was supposed to.”

Biden said Sept. 5 while visiting Florida following Hurricane Idalia that he had wanted to go to East Palestine, but that a busy schedule prevented him from doing so, Fox News reported. He visited Ukraine Feb. 20, 2023, prior to meetings in Poland with the Polish president and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, among others to discuss the war in Ukraine.

“There are people who are still getting sick, there are still people who are relocated and out of their homes. We need them to act. We need Biden to do something,” Timothea Deeter told WTOV9.com.