A rally celebrating the release of U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl in his hometown of Hailey, Idaho, has reportedly been canceled due to security concerns amid a flood of angry phone calls and emails.
Bergdahl spent five years in captivity after the Taliban captured him on June 30, 2009. He was released in eastern Afghanistan on June 1 as part of a secret deal brokered by the Pentagon and the State Department in exchange for five Afghan militants held in Guantanamo Bay.
Because of the attention Bergdahl's story has since received, the rally organizers said they expected an increased amount of people to come to both voice their support for the soldier's return and to protest his release. That, according to a statement released to the press, led to safety concerns. "In the interest of public safety, the event will be canceled," it read.
At the request of the organizers, Hailey's city administrator, Heather Dawson, told Reuters that city officials canceled the June 28 rally due to capacity and security issues. Dawson said the town "will be unable to safely manage the number of people expected."
Before the news of Bergdahl's release, the town was already planning its annual June 28 rally, called "Bring Bowe Back," to commemorate his capture. When the news of the soldier's release broke, the event organizers announced that the rally would be a welcome home celebration instead.
When news of the exchange broke, however, criticism quickly mounted over the reciprocal release of the Guantanamo Bay prisoners. Allegations that Bergdahl had abandoned his post, which led to his capture, caused further consternation, as did reports that some in his unit held him responsible for the deaths of six soldiers in the aftermath of his disappearance, though no official connection has been made.
“People in Hailey have been aware for some time that there were questions about how Bowe came to be captured, and that there was a chance that Bowe could be in trouble when he came home,” Stefanie O'Neill, a rally co-organizer, told Time after the event had been canceled.
Army Secretary John McHugh has said the military will investigate the circumstances of Bergdahl's disappearance, but also that "we are grateful that an American soldier is back in American hands."