STORM2K

Fans boo The Star Spangled Banner
Posted: Friday March 21, 12:50 AM
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 The 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.

Very sad indeed!

That's pretty low.

How pathetic!

We have some friends who are native Canadians (living in Ontario). During our last visit (he came to our house while passing thru) he was telling me that things in Canada's government aren't too swell. He was very concerned about the future of his country. The guy is one of the most brilliant people I've ever met and hearing that come from him, makes me wonder about our friends to the north.

They did the samething when the war in Iraq started.

Stephanie wrote:They did the samething when the war in Iraq started.

Must be their "french" connection

What a bunch of losers!!

Lindaloo wrote:What a bunch of losers!!

I second that. I was/am not totally crazy about this war, but a line is drawn somewhere and I think that line was crossed in this instance of idiocy.

I believe this is from last year.

Cheesy_Poofs wrote:I believe this is from last year.

You are right. It is definitely not from this year. I did not notice that on the first post. March 21 was a Sunday this year I believe.

Further, now that I think about it, I remember something along these same lines from last year.

Cheesy, good "eye"!

There was an incident like this last year, but I also believe there was one this year. I think it may have been before March though.

Anyway, foreigners booing the anthem is nothing new. I find it offensive, but I'm not shocked by it or anything.

Your right. It would of been Sunday this year. Good catch. lol.

Ahhh...thats just disrespectful

It will be interesting to see what transpires during the Olympics when the anthem is played.

GalvestonDuck wrote:It will be interesting to see what transpires during the Olympics when the anthem is played.

Oh, no, I don't even want to think about that!

How pathetic can those people get?

This kind of stuff makes me mad!!! We have the decency to sit through the Canadian anthem and be respectful... heck in the Olympics will be repsectful to all countries' anthems shall they make it to the podium... but then to treat us like that? GRR!!!

I didn't hear the same "degree" of disrespect the other nigth when the Bruins played in Montreal (and won in double OT thank you ....but the boos were still there...SICKENING after all we do for our beloved neighbors to our north.

It's just completely silly to boo anyone's anthem. What's the point? I would say the same if we booed, say, France's anthem.

Speaking of that, I thought we were supposed to be the boorish ones. Seems these folks are displaying the exact same kind of behavior we are supposed to be guilty of.