Raptors notice anthem booing but focus on playing

TORONTO – RJ Barrett got close to it arsenic soon arsenic helium stepped successful beforehand of the cameras and microphones of a post-practice media scrum astatine the Toronto Raptors’ grooming facility.

“Let’s get it retired of the way. Ask it. Just inquire it,” said an upbeat Barrett. “Let’s get it retired of the way. Just inquire it already. Come on. Let’s get it retired of the way.”

Did you perceive the boos during the American nationalist anthem earlier the Raptors bushed the Los Angeles Clippers 115-108 connected Sunday?

“I person ears, truthful I heard it, for sure,” said Barrett, who is from Mississauga, Ont. “But I mean, I don’t know. I consciousness similar everybody’s entitled to their ain opinion.

“I don’t truly cognize excessively overmuch of what it was about. I was conscionable determination to play the game.”

Fans astatine Scotiabank Arena booed during “The Star Spangled Banner,” past switched to large cheers erstwhile “O Canada” began, joining the 15-year-old anthem vocalist for immoderate verses of that anthem.

There were akin scenes astatine Ottawa’s Canadian Tire Centre connected Saturday nighttime erstwhile fans besides booed during the American nationalist anthem earlier the Senators unopen retired the Minnesota Wild 6-0 connected Saturday. Then connected Sunday nighttime fans successful Vancouver jeered the U.S. anthem earlier the Canucks mislaid to the Detroit Red Wings 3-2 successful overtime.

The beardown reactions are apt successful effect to a commercialized warfare betwixt Canada and its neighbour to the south, sparked by enforcement orders from U.S. President Donald Trump, raising tariffs connected Canadian and Mexican imports to the United States.

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“I don’t travel the authorities excessively closely,” said Raptors centre Jakob Poeltl, who is from Austria. “I conjecture it’s conscionable the Canadian people, oregon radical successful Toronto, expressing their dislike of definite policies that person been passed lately.

“I conjecture they thought that was their accidental to person a level and amusement that they’re not blessed astir it.”

Raptors caput manager Darko Rajakovic said helium had nary remark connected the booing.

This study by The Canadian Press was archetypal published Feb. 3, 2025.