In the wake of an escalating fight over US-Canada tariffs that has since calmed down, a hockey player from Tennessee, Nashville Predators star Jonathan Marchessault, commented on incidents in which Canadian hockey fans booed the American National Anthem and American hockey fans booed the Canadian National Anthem. Marchessault said anthems should be respected rather than booed because of what they stand for.
The matter sparking the incident was President Donald Trump’s decision to force Canada and Mexico into helping him slow the flow of fentanyl into the United States by threatening them with country-wrecking 25% tariffs. They backed down after a bit of bluster and tariff threats, but not before fans got angry and booed each other’s anthems at hockey games.
The first booing incident came when fans of the Ottawa Senators booed “The Star-Spangled Banner” when it was sung over the weekend of Saturday, February 1, with Canadians upset over the tariff threats. Fans of the Nashville Predators, in turn, booed the Canadian National Anthem, “O, Canada,” when the Nashville Senators were in town.
Commenting on the respective incidents to reporters, Marchessault, now living in Tennessee but originally from Quebec, said that really he doesn’t think either anthem should be booed because the anthems aren’t played for political reasons but rather meant to respect those who served their countries.
He began by saying, “I don’t think it should be said for any anthems.” He continued, on that point about honoring veterans with the anthems, he said, “Honestly, the anthem is not made for political views. It’s made for respecting the veterans in both countries and I think that’s something that everybody.”
Continuing, the hockey star reemphasized that point about respecting veterans and not being disrespectful as the anthems play, saying, “I think at the end of the day we’re respecting the veterans and people that live in our countries. It’s bigger than just trying to give a shout to the other country.”
Further, the hockey star’s head coach, Andrew Brunette, noted that both the United States and Canada play hockey and that he thinks booing national anthems isn’t appropriate for fans to be doing at the games, saying, “I don’t like it, I don’t think we should boo either anthem either way.”
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The Predators head coach added, commenting on America and Canada sharing the game and needing to treat each other with respect during games, “The NHL has been around 100 years and the U.S. and Canada both share this game. I don’t really think there’s a place to be booing the anthem.”
He added that, regardless of political views, it is good for America and Canada to remain trade partners, saying, “You can have your political views and your ideas, but I just think both countries have been amicable for so long. They’ve been partners in the great game of hockey. I just don’t think it’s the right thing to do, I really don’t like it.”
Watch the booing in Canada at the Raptors game over the weekend here: