US anthem booing at Toronto Raptors NBA game over Donald Trump’s tariffs
SportsIn
February 3, 2025

Toronto Raptors fans staged a new display of political discontent in the sports world by booing the U.S. anthem before the NBA game against the Los Angeles Clippers. The event occurred Sunday at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena, adding to a trend that had already been seen at NHL games in Ottawa and Calgary the day before.

The discontent follows former President Donald Trump’s decision to impose tariffs on products from Canada, Mexico and China, which has led to trade tensions (the European Union may be next). In response, both Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the President of Mexico have announced retaliatory measures.

A PROTEST THAT SPILLS OVER INTO SPORT

Before the match, the audience gave a standing ovation to the 15-year-old girl in charge of performing the anthems. However, when she began to sing The Star-Spangled Banner, boos were heard throughout the venue. At the end, there was a combination of whistles and applause, which gave way to a rousing ovation during the rendition of O Canada.

This is not the first time that fans in Canada have shown their discontent with U.S. policies through such gestures. Earlier this century, during the Iraq war, booing of the U.S. anthem was also a frequent occurrence at sporting events.

PLAYER REACTION

The Raptors players themselves noticed the crowd’s reaction. Garrett Temple, the team’s American forward, acknowledged that it was a shocking moment: “Yes, of course I noticed it. The reaction was ‘wow. Then you think about why they do it. There are a lot of things bigger than basketball right now. We play in Canada and they have their stance on the trade situation and tariffs.”

For his part, Canada’s Kelly Olynyk showed empathy for the young girl performing the anthems and acknowledged the impact Trump’s move has on the population, “Obviously, [tariffs] affect a lot of people in this country and in this arena. I felt sorry for the girl who sang, but she got a standing ovation at the end, and I was happy about that.”

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