Canadian sports fans across the country have begun booing the U.S. national anthem at sporting events amid the ongoing threat of tariffs from the American government.
This trend started in Ottawa during the opening anthems at a Feb. 1 game against the Minnesota Wild. It was the first day when Donald Trump’s 25 per cent tariffs on imported goods took place. The Senators ended up winning the game 6-0.
Basketball fans in Toronto as well as hockey fans in Calgary and Vancouver have also made their voices heard by booing the anthem over the weekend.
American fans have begun to retaliate. At a Feb. 3 game against the Senators, fans in Nashville returned the favour and booed the Canadian anthem.
While a recent agreement between Trump and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has led to a 30-day pause on tariffs for the time being, it’s unclear as to whether the anthem war will pause alongside the trade war.
Ottawa native and Senators fan Jacob Drouin says he believes booing the anthem is a good way for Canadians to vocalize their frustration and unite.
“It’s definitely a good showing of pride,” he said. “I do believe that Canadians are using this as an outlet to voice their frustration with the current administration.”
Drouin also said he believes the NHL and other leagues shouldn’t stop performing anthems before games now.
“I like how the NHL isn’t going to stop it from occurring, which would set a terrible precedent if they were to do so,” he said.
Not everyone supports the booing of the anthems. Nashville Predators star Jonathan Marchessault said after the team’s game against Ottawa, that he believes anthems aren’t made for political views.
“The anthem is not made for political views, it’s made for respecting the veterans,” the Quebec-born forward told reporters.
“I think at the end of the day, we’re respecting the veterans and the people that defend our countries, it’s bigger than just trying to give a shot to the other country,” Marchessault said.
Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane echoed Marchessault after his team’s win in Vancouver on Feb. 1.
“It’s too bad,” the American winger told reporters post-game. “It is what it is, I guess you can maybe understand it from this side, but it seems like a thing that’s going around the league right now.”
This isn’t the first time the NHL has dealt with fans booing a national anthem.
In 2003, fans in Montreal booed the U.S. national anthem in protest of the country’s war with Iraq. The league opted to continue playing anthems before games at that time, a precedent that can be expected to be upheld now as the booing continues.
