Fans at a Toronto Raptors game on Sunday continued an emerging trend of booing the American national anthem at sporting events in Canada.
Fans of the NBA’s lone Canadian franchise booed the US anthem before the Raptors’ game against the Los Angeles Clippers at the Scotiabank Arena in downtown Toronto. Similar reactions broke out on Saturday night at NHL games in Ottawa and Calgary, where the Senators and Flames faced the Minnesota Wild and Detroit Red Wings respectively. Those games came hours after Donald Trump made his threat of import tariffs on Canada a reality.
After Raptors fans initially cheered the 15-year-old girl singing the anthems, they booed throughout her performance of The Star-Spangled Banner. At the end, mixed boos and cheers could be heard before the crowd erupted in applause for the Canadian anthem, O Canada. Three of the five starters on the Raptors are American and they glanced at each other as the boos rang out. Sportsnet reporter Michael Grange, who was at the game, wrote on X that fans emphasised the word “free” in the Canadian anthem. The game ended in a 115-108 victory for the Raptors.
On Saturday, Trump placed tariffs on goods from Canada, Mexico and China after claiming the three countries allow immigrants and illegal drugs into the US. In addition, energy imported from Canada, including oil, natural gas and electricity, will be taxed at a 10% rate.
Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau and Mexico’s president have ordered retaliatory tariffs on goods from America in response.
The booing of The Star-Spangled Banner in Canada is rare, but not unheard of especially when tied to world events. In the early 2000s, fans at games in Canada booed to show their disapproval of the US-led war in Iraq.
Trump has been the subject of booing himself at sports events. During his first term as president he was jeered and greeted with “lock him up” chants by Washington Nationals fans during the 2019 World Series. He has also been cheered loudly at college football games.
Source: theguardian.com
