U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl's hometown, feeling a backlash over allegations that he was a deserter, has canceled a rally planned for later this month celebrating his release from five years of Taliban captivity, city officials said on Wednesday.
In calling off the June 28 event, the officials cited concerns that they lacked the resources to safely manage the thousands of supporters and protesters who were expected to converge on the small mountain community of 8,000 residents.
The decision came as pressure mounted to cancel the rally in the face of rising hostility — expressed in a torrent of emails and phone calls directed at city officials and businesses — over claims by Bergdahl's onetime army comrades that he deliberately abandoned his post in Afghanistan.