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Activists from Earth Defense Coalition and the SoulFire Caravan who locked themselves down to concrete-filled barrels at the West Lake Landfill and were arrested on Friday, March 31, continued their campaign today in Claire McCaskill’s office.

This protest came in direct response to news that another person has died prematurely in St. Louis yesterday from exposure to this Manhattan Project waste. She watched Friday’s actions on her death bed with her family surrounding her to witness the videos of the first time a mass direct action took place with the goal of shutting down operations at the illegal landfill, which contains the same waste that led to her becoming immobile and fatally ill.

Monday’s action began as activists flooded McCaskill’s office with red paint on their hands, representing the blood of those that have died in St. Louis from exposure to this waste and a lack of action from the federal government for 44 years.

Activists chanted, “The federal government has blood on its hands, and we’re seeing red. West Lake Landfill is a burning hell, and now my friends are dead!”

“Yesterday we were reminded by this resident’s death that every day we wait for federal action is another day someone dies or develops life-changing illness from exposure to this waste,” said Alex Cohen. “Government officials and regional leaders had the chance to save her life, and the countless others that are dying from exposure to this waste. We heard her story alongside countless others this community has witnessed over the years and could not remain silent today.”

Activists demand Senators Claire McCaskill and Roy Blunt, as well as Representatives Lacy Clay and Ann Wagner introduce legislation to transfer the purview of this site to the Army Corps of Engineers immediately.

“While we can never get back the lives our city’s radioactive legacy has already taken, Missouri’s elected officials have all the authority they need to stop our city’s toxic legacy from continuing further,” Cohen said. “Each day they wait is another day of exposure, another day of funerals, and another day of unknown and looming fear.”