Thousands of Canadian sports fans protested American trade policies at NBA and NHL games in their country over the weekend.
Videos posted to X by the media show fans in Vancouver, Toronto and Ottawa booing during the playing of “The Star Spangled Banner” on Saturday and Sunday.
“Usually I will stand. I’ve always stood during both anthems,” Joseph Chua, a Raptors fan and Canadian importer, told the Associated Press. “I’ve taken my hat off to show respect to the American national anthem, but today we’re feeling a little bitter about things.”
America’s neighbors to the north were expressing their displeasure at a decision by President Donald Trump to impose tariffs on Canadian products. Those measures prompted Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau to enact retaliatory tariffs on $30 billion worth of American goods.
Tariffs are taxes applied to goods brought into a country to be sold to consumers and, according to economic experts, are extra costs usually passed on from companies directly to consumers.
Experts also believe the so-called “trade war” will significantly hurt the wallets of residents from both countries.
The scenes in Canadian arenas over the past 48 hours were a stark difference from the usually friendly environment fans in the country are known for. In 2023, for example, Toronto Maple Leafs fans finished the U.S. national anthem after a singer’s microphone malfunctioned mid-song.
The Ottawa Senators sent a strong statement Monday responding to the protests (h/t Alex Daugherty, The Tennessean).
“Our fans in Ottawa-Gatineau are passionate about their hockey team and their country,” it read.
It’s unclear if Canadian fans will continue to protest the American trade policy decision.
There are three NHL games (Winnipeg, Calgary and Vancouver) and one NBA game (Toronto) scheduled in Canada on Tuesday.