Colo. official cancels al-Jazeera meal

GOLDEN, Colo., Aug. 22 (UPI) -- Mike Bestor, the city manager for Golden, Colo., says he decided to withdraw a dinner invitation to an al-Jazeera media group due to social pressures.

Bestor said after his invitation to the Middle East-based media group al-Jazeera Englis resulted in a public uproar this week, he decided to rescind the invitation to avoid any additional problems, The Denver Post said Friday.

The news network had accepted the private invitation from Bestor and had planned to conduct interviews during the Democratic National Convention, which is taking place in nearby Denver next week.

In a statement from the city, Bestor recognized that while his invitation was made as a private citizen, he understood why his city position intensified his overseas efforts among the general public.

"The city of Golden doesn't have the right to restrict or prohibit al-Jazeera or any other news agency from broadcasting out of the city, whether we approve of their coverage or not, whether we share their perspectives or not, whether we find their coverage offensive or not," the statement said.