Fatma Zehra Solmaz
18 February 2025•Update: 18 February 2025
ISTANBUL
This week US-Canadian tensions spilled over into sports arenas, with fans booing the national anthem of their neighbor.
Some Canadian fans booed the US national anthem during 4 Nations Face-Off, a major ice hockey tournament in Montreal, with tensions over both trade and territory quickly escalating into fights.
In response, some fans at Boston's TD Garden booed Canada’s national anthem on Monday.
Before the anthems began in the northeastern US city, the announcer requested the crowd to "kindly respect the national anthems and the players representing each country." While many fans wearing red Canadian jerseys joined in singing O Canada, a few boos were still audible.
Hostility was evident both on and off the ice, especially after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau posted on X on Sunday that he was "damn proud of this country" following the boos during The Star-Spangled Banner, the US national anthem.
Jeers at National Hockey League games have been common since President Trump announced tariffs on Canada – later paused – while also joking multiple times about the country becoming the "51st state."
Canadian player Drew Doughty voiced his opposition to booing during anthems, while US defenseman Zach Werenski also expressed his disapproval.
"We knew it was going to happen," Werenski said, pointing out that boos had occurred in previous NHL games and during the team’s 6-1 victory over Finland.
"It is what it is," he added, explaining that the team used the jeers as motivation to win, though he admitted: "Definitely don’t like it."
