Canadian fans once again drowned out the U.S. national anthem with boos Saturday night at a live WWE event held at the Rogers Centre in Toronto.
Footage shared on social media from the Elimination Chamber event shows fans jeering for nearly a minute during Canadian singer Elizabeth Irving’s rendition of the “Star-Spangled Banner.”
The reaction comes after U.S. President Donald Trump said he would use economic coercion to force Canada to become the 51st state and threatened to impose 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods later this week.
The booing on Saturday night is part of a continuing trend from NHL games in Ottawa, Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver over the last few weeks. There were also boos at recent home games of Canada’s lone NBA franchise, the Toronto Raptors.
More than 38,000 wrestling fans purchased tickets to attend the Elimination Chamber on Saturday, which marks the WWE’s first event at the Rogers Centre since WrestleMania 18.
A few celebrities were also in attendance, including rappers Drake, Nav, Lil Yachty and Travis Scott. Actors Robbie Amell and Italia Ricci were also spotted at the match.
“Canada is an amazing place to host our biggest Premium Live Events, with its passionate fans and rich history that spans decades,” said WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque.
