Montreal fans boo Star-Spangled Banner

[Pete's Mom]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/hockey/news/2003/03/20/anthem_booed_ap/index.html?cnn=yes

MONTREAL (AP) -- Fans booed during the playing of the U.S. national anthem before the New York Islanders' 6-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night.

The sellout crowd of 21,273 at Bell Centre was asked to "show your support and respect for two great nations" before the singing of the American and Canadian national anthems.

But a significant portion of the crowd booed throughout Star-Spangled Banner in an apparent display of their displeasure with the U.S.-led war against Iraq. More than 200,000 people turned out for an anti-war demonstration in Montreal last Saturday.

"I'm sure there are a lot of people against the war, but some things people can't control," said New York's Alexei Yashin, who is from Russia. "They were probably showing what they feel about it."

Teammate Mark Parrish, a native of Bloomington, Minn., was upset hearing the boos.

"I came to the game pretty pumped up, but once I heard that it really got me going," Parrish said. "So I guess I can thank them a little bit for getting me more pumped up."

 

[Miss Jasmine]

 

[d.kurz]

And I'll be at the World Figure Skating Championships in Washington, DC next week. IT will be interesting to see if those fans can behave. There WILL be French skaters, etc.... I hope the fans behave!!

 

[twinz]

I remember in the World Series one year, the Toronto Blue Jays were in it. Well wouldn't you know they had the Canadian flag upside down. It kinda hurt alot of Canadians!
Nothing excuses what the people in Montreal did! They should have respected the anthem, like they respect our own.
Twinz

 

[CathyCanada]

 

[ltldeb]

 

[DawnCt]

We don't get mad, we get even. I believe we WON the game!

 

[pokiemomo181]

I can't blame the many for what the few do. I will never show anything but respect for another country's anthem. Whether I agree with their politics or not. Being childish never gets an adult anywhere. The canadiens as well as France are and hopefully will always be our allies. I will treat them as such.


Pokie

 

[CJK]

 

[damo]

American hockey fans booed the Canadian anthem last year at a few games in the playoffs. The anthem was also booed during a few basketball games. Big deal. I don't even remember what they were protesting about. Seems like a pretty harmless way to protest.