As the San Jose Sharks prepare for a series of road games in Canada, a troubling trend has emerged regarding the booing of the American national anthem by some Canadian fans. Incidents have been reported during various NHL and NBA games, particularly as political tensions between the U.S. and Canada have escalated due to remarks from President Trump. Despite official pleas for respect during anthem performances, the trend continues, underscoring a growing sentiment among certain audiences.
"We knew it was going to happen," American defenseman Zach Werenski told reporters of the boos after the U.S. beat Canada 3-1. "It happened the last game; it's been a trend every time we play Canada in Canada."
The booing of the American anthem in Canadian arenas started before the recently completed 4 Nations Face-Off, as some fans in those buildings negatively reacted to U.S. President Donald Trump's repeated threats to annex Canada and make it the 51st state.
Despite a plea inside the Bell Centre to 'kindly respect the anthems and the players that represent each country,' the booing trend continued, as some in the crowd of over 21,000 people vociferously jeered the American anthem.
The most recent example took place Saturday when some light boos were heard during the playing of the American anthem in Toronto before the Maple Leafs faced the Carolina Hurricanes.
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