Raptors fans boo U.S. national anthem in Toronto amid Trump's tariff war: 'Doesn't sound like Canada is ready to be the 51st state'

It continues a trend in Canadian sports arenas where choruses of boos have been heard during the 'Star Spangled Banner'

Bryan Meler
·Senior Editor, Yahoo Canada
Sun, February 2, 2025 


Toronto Raptors forward Bruce Brown, left to right, forward Scottie Barnes and forward Chris Boucher react as fans boo the American national anthem before first half NBA action against the LA Clippers in Toronto on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn


Scotiabank Arena was filled with boos on Sunday afternoon during the singing of the U.S. national anthem, ahead of the Toronto Raptors' matchup with the Los Angeles Clippers.

It was unusual and rare moment to witness in a professional sports arena, but shows the tension that's been created ever since U.S. President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on Canadian imports in an executive order. It looks like the start of the trend, after earlier this weekend, boos were also heard in NHL arenas in Ottawa and Calgary.

On Sunday, the crowd erupted immediately, as 15-year-old Kyra Daniel started singing the "Star Spangled Banner."

Knowing that the young singer was found in the middle of all the awkwardness, fans in attendance applauded her performance as the song came to an end, and then proceeded to roar when Daniel started "O Canada," as they sang along.

Post-game, Raptors head coach Darko Rajaković said he has "no comment" on what took place. When Chris Boucher was asked post-game if he's ever experienced a moment like Sunday's, he responded:

"No, no, no. But have you ever seen us getting taxed like that?," said the Montreal-native, according to the Associated Press.

On Feb. 1, Trump placed sweeping taxes of 25 per cent on imports from Canada, while energy — such as oil, electricity, and natural gas — will instead byetaxed at a 10 per cent rate. On Saturday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responded by ordering retaliatory tariffs on imports from the U.S.

The videos from inside Scotiabank Arena have since gone viral, as users online supported the boos, as they shared frustrations with what's going with Canada's closest neighbour and historic ally.



"Doesn't sound like Canada is ready to be the 51st state does it," wrote one user on X, shedding light on Trump's repeated claim that Canada should join the U.S.

"Love this. Canadians, in general, don't hate the U.S., but they are sending a message to their leadership. I think most Americans understand this," wrote another X user in reply to the viral video.

While many X users condemned the boos — in a move that isn't all too surprising considering X is owned by Elon Musk — one American couldn't help but feel some sympathy:

"The U.S. government declared an economic war on Canadians, I don't blame them," the user wrote.

The last time wide-spread boos of the U.S. national anthem took place in a Canadian sports arena was in the early 2000s, when fans booed the U.S.-led war against Iraq.

Considering the Raptors are the NBA's only Canadian team, who's to stay how long this current trend will continue at Scotiabank Arena.

 Canadian NBA Fans Boo U.S. National Anthem Over Trump’s Tariffs

Amethyst Martinez

THE DAILY BEAST
Sun, February 2, 2025 


Vaughn Ridley / NBAE via Getty Images


Canadians are clapping back amid President Donald Trump’s all-out tariff war with the country.

Prior to a Sunday game between the Toronto Raptors and Los Angeles Clippers, Canadian fans booed loudly as the “Star Spangled Banner” was played.

Then, as the first notes of “O Canada,” rung out, the crowd cheered loudly.

Just a day before, hockey fans seemingly started the trend, booing when the U.S. anthem was sung at a matchup between the Ottawa Senators and Minnesota Wild.

The anger comes after Trump announced 25% tariffs on U.S. allies Canada and Mexico.

Trump boiled his decision down to “a number of reasons,” including a surge in illegal immigration and imports of the deadly drug fentanyl crossing the border.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau—alongside Canadian citizens—criticized Trump’s decision to target their country.

“Tariffs against Canada will put your jobs at risk, potentially shutting down American auto assembly and other manufacturing facilities,” Trudeau said in a press conference on Saturday. “They will raise costs for you, including food at the grocery store and gas at the pump.” He then went onto announce Canada’s very own 25% tariff increase against the U.S.

“The tariffs on 25 percent of everything that Canada produces will hurt Americans, including consumers,” he continued.

Canadian provinces have also weaponized their purchasing power against the United States by ripping American ‘Red State’ liquor off their shelves.

“Every year, [the Liquor Control Board of Ontario] sells nearly $1 billion worth of American, wine, beer, spirits and seltzers,” Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Canada’s most biggest province of over 14 million, wrote. “Not anymore.”

The new trade war seems far from over as Trump doubled down on the decision—even as many American consumers fear the consequences for their own wallets.

“THIS WILL BE THE GOLDEN AGE OF AMERICA! WILL THERE BE SOME PAIN? YES, MAYBE (AND MAYBE NOT!),” Trump wrote to Truth Social on Sunday. “BUT WE WILL MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, AND IT WILL ALL BE WORTH THE PRICE THAT MUST BE PAID.”

Watch Canadian Hockey Fans Boo The U.S. National Anthem Following Trump Tariff News

Ben Blanchet
Updated Sun, February 2, 2025 

Canadian hockey fans weren’t so friendly toward the United States national anthem on Saturday after President Donald Trump sparked a trade war by imposing new tariffs on most goods from their country.

Fans of the Ottawa Senators in Canada’s capital city mostly booed ― with some cheers and applause mixed in ― a performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” ahead of the NHL team’s game against the Minnesota Wild, accordingtoclipsshared to X, formally called Twitter.

Calgary Flames fans could also be heard booing the singing of their neighboring country’s anthem, courtesy of a video shared by Edmonton radio host Courtney Theriault.

Both moments were preceded by Montreal Canadiens fans booing the U.S. anthem before the team’s game against the New Jersey Devils last month, an occurrence that Radio-Canada sports columnist Martin Leclerc tied to Trump’s then-looming threats toward Canada at the time in an article published last weekend.

The latest boos for the anthem arrived after Trump hit America’s northern neighbor with 25% tariffs on most goods ― with the exception of oil, which will face a lesser surtax ― coming from the country.

Mexico and China will also face tariffs, which are set to go into effect at midnight on Tuesday, in a move that experts warn could spark increased prices on everything from tomatoes to tequila.

In response to the Trump tariffs, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau revealed that counter-tariffs would be placed on $155 billion worth of American goods — including alcohol, clothing and lumber — coming into Canada.

Canadian hockey fans have previously jumpedin to sing the rest of the U.S. anthem when performers experienced technical issues in recent years, but they’ve rarely booed “The Star-Spangled Banner” before games.

Leclerc, in his Radio-Canada article, noted that Montreal hockey fans partially booed the U.S. anthem before a game at the city’s Bell Centre in March 2003, just prior to America’s invasion of Iraq.

The anthem was then loudly booed at the arena one day after the invasion, leaving U.S.-born players shocked.

Then-Montreal Canadiens President Pierre Boivin went on to apologize and called for the team’s fans — a “significant portion” of whom apparently booed the anthem — to “conduct themselves in a manner worthy of our game and our two great nations,” ESPN reported at the time.

“It is our firm belief that this kind of behavior has no place in the context of professional sports,” Boivin said.

The Montreal club would later air a video by team legend and hockey great Jean Béliveau in an effort to deter booing during the anthem at the following game.

Fans boo US national anthem at NHL game in Canada amid trade war

Will Conybeare
Sun, February 2, 2025 

Fans boo the Star-Spangled Banner at an Ottawa Senators game on Feb. 1, 2025.

 (Credit: Bruce Garrioch via Storyful)

OTTAWA, Canada (KTLA) — Canadians seemingly aren’t too happy with the tariffs being imposed on their country by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Trump signed an order Saturday to impose stiff tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico, and China, which drew swift retaliation and sparked a trade war.

The economic emergency declared by the president places duties of 10% on all imports from China and 25% on all imports from Mexico and Canada. Energy imported from Canada – including oil, natural gas, and electricity – would be taxed at a 10% rate.

Trump puts tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China, spurring trade war as North American allies respond

After the tariffs were announced, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated that the actions taken by the White House “split us apart instead of [brought] us together” while announcing a matching 25% tariff on up to $155 billion on U.S. imports, including alcohol and fruit.

Foreign politicians aren’t the only ones unhappy with the tariffs, as hockey fans in Ottawa – Canada’s capital – expressed their apparent discontent at Trump’s decision by booing as “The Star-Spangled Banner” played ahead of the Ottawa Senators game against the Minnesota Wild on Saturday night.

Trump’s second week in office delivers jolts and chaotic orders with a mix of politics and tragedy

In footage captured by a local sports journalist Bruce Garrioch, loud booing can be heard as Ottawa musician Mandia sang the final bars of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa. Reporting from The Minnesota Star Tribune explains the booing started as she began but stopped during the midpoint of the anthem. While the jeering became louder as she finished, other fans were cheering.

As Mandia performed the Canadian national anthem, the crowd erupted into “energetic applause,” the Star Tribune reports.

The Wild lost 6-0.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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