The newly released files on the late U.S. financier Jeffrey Epstein have sparked widespread discussion about judicial fairness, power networks and social atmosphere in the United States, as some New York residents shared common desire for real change, calling for greater unity among members of the society.
On Jan. 30, the U.S. Department of Justice said it had published millions of additional pages in compliance with the "Epstein Files Transparency Act," taking the total disclosure to nearly 3.5 million pages, alongside thousands of videos and images.
The contents of these documents involve numerous well-known figures from the political, business, academic and entertainment sectors in the United States and other countries, prompting a range of thoughtful reactions from the public.
"I'm surprised that it hasn't done more already, because some have already been released and the evidence is there, and people are choosing to silence the victims. So I guess my answer is it should have already started to change and it hasn't done enough. And it should have. So I hope so as more is released. But I don't have a lot of faith," said Norah Parker, a student.
Laurence Fitzpacker, a retiree viewed the developments more optimistically.
"I think it's a real turning point. I think people have really woken up to what's going on in this country and they realize that something has to be done. It's very important and now is the time," he said.
Patrick Linen, an IT worker, connected the Epstein case to wider social issues.
"I mean, it's not just about Epstein. It's just about all of it. It's tearing people apart. It's tearing the nation apart. What everything really comes down to is that we're not, we're not working on helping people anymore. It's all coming down to the politics and the bullshit," he said.
Avril Lewis, who works in hospitality, offered cautious hope amid uncertainty.
"I would like to say that I would hope that people would finally come together, but I don't know. We just have to see. We have to keep fighting. That's all," she said.
New Yorkers voice frustration over Epstein case, urging greater unity
