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Canadian sports fans continued to voice their displeasure with the United States on Sunday, booing the American national anthem before an NHL game in Vancouver and an NBA tilt in Toronto.
The jeers at Rogers Arena in Vancouver began as Agasha Mutesasira launched into the opening notes of the “Star Spangled Banner” before the Canucks faced the Detroit Red Wings.
As she began to sing “O Canada,” boisterous cheers rose from the crowd.
The strong reaction to both songs was likely in response to a mounting trade war between Canada and the United States.
“I mean, it’s too bad, right? It is what it is,” said Red Wings forward Patrick Kane. “I guess you can maybe understand it from this side but seems like it’s a thing that’s going around the league right now.”
Asked whether he’d ever heard an anthem booed during his many years in the NHL, Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet took a moment to think.
“I don’t know. That’s a good question,” he said. “I don’t want to go into politics, though.”
Detroit’s head coach Todd McLellan said he has his own personal opinions on the current political landscape, but opted to keep them to himself.
“I’m going to separate that from what we were all here for was the entertainment value of a hockey game,” he said.
There was a similar scene at Scotiabank Arena earlier Sunday before the Toronto Raptors hosted the Los Angeles Clippers.
Fans booed during the American anthem, then switched to loud cheers when the Canadian version began, joining the 15-year-old anthem singer for some verses of that anthem.
Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic had no comment on the boos during “The Star Spangled Banner.”
L.A. head coach Tyronn Lue actually sang the Canadian national anthem in full, but said he had no reaction when the American anthem was booed.
“I like that song. I heard it a lot during the playoffs,” said Lue. “I know it by heart.”
Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard, who helped Toronto win the 2019 NBA championship, got a warm round of applause when he was introduced before tipoff. Leonard said “next question” when asked about the anthem booing.
The trade war has been sparked by executive orders from U.S. President Donald Trump, raising tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports to the United States.
Fans at Ottawa’s Canadian Tire Centre also booed during the American national anthem before the Senators shut out the Minnesota Wild 6-0 on Saturday.
The Raptors are the most recent Canadian team to win a major professional championship. The Toronto Blue Jays’ World Series win in 1993 was the previous major title won by a franchise based in Canada.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 2, 2025.
John Chidley-Hill and Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press
