How do the townspeople treat Tom like an enemy?

When Peter spreads the word that his brother wants to ruin the town, the townspeople choose to believe Peter and ostracize Tom. Tom is not allowed to publish his report in the newspaper or speak in a public, and he is confronted by threats of violence, arrest, loss of income, and even being named "an enemy of the people." Tom, however, will not abandon the truth and winds up fighting the entire town to do the right thing that is best for the town and for its people. In the end, Tom and his family are outcasts but he knows that he's done the right thing.