Since when is it taboo to boo?

Ever since fans in Canadian arenas have started to boo the U.S. national anthem, in response to the threats and insults made by America’s dear leader, there has been a debate about whether such crowd response is disrespectful or appropriate.

In the Globe and Mail, columnist Cathal Kelly wrote that booing isn’t just acceptable but is our “patriotic duty right now”.

Booing is an old form of expression – including booing anthems.

In the past few decades, fans in Philadelphia, Detroit and Brooklyn have booed "O Canada" during NHL and NBA playoff games involving Montreal and Toronto teams.

At international soccer matches, English fans have booed the anthems of competing nations like Germany and Denmark, Belgian fans have booed the French anthem, and Hong Kong fans have booed the Chinese anthem.

That’s nothing. Liverpool fans are known to boo their own country’s anthem, even on the day “God Save the King” was played to mark Charles’ coronation. That tradition goes back decades, traced to economic dissatisfaction and anti-government and anti-establishment sentiments.

Others have jeered their own too. At the last World Cup, before an Iran-England game, many Iranian fans booed Iran’s anthem while Iranian players themselves refused to sing it.

Athletes, artists and politicians all hear it

After the anthems have been played, sports crowds are quick to break out the boos, mercilessly targeting opposing teams (or their own if they're dissatisfied with the effort or results) as well as officials.

Crowds don't always stop there. In Philadelphia in 1968, fans of the NFL’s Eagles once even booed and threw snowballs at Santa Claus during a halftime show in December. The infamous event has its own Wikipedia page, and is still cited 56 years later to showcase the temperament of Philly fans.

Beyond sports, there’s a long history of audiences booing the arts.

Opera patrons have done so in Europe for ages. Bob Dylan was booed for going electric in 1965. The Cannes Film Festival is known for standing ovations and boos alike. And the ancient Greeks booed playwrights featured at the Dionysia festival in the 5th and 6th century BC.

Politicians around the world, too, are booed all the time when appearing in public, and sports events can be the nexus.

When Trump showed up at a World Series game in Washington. D.C. in 2019, he was not only loudly booed but subjected to “Lock him up!” chants.

Bill Clinton was booed at a NASCAR race in South Carolina. “Only real men come here,” one spectator also yelled.

Australian PM Anthony Albanese was booed at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne. “It’s a bit of a tradition, isn’t it?” he later quipped during a radio interview.

Multiple British cabinet ministers were booed when presenting medals at the Paralympics in London.

Even Vladimir Putin was once booed at a martial arts fight in Moscow. The fight was broadcast live on a state-owned TV channel, but in replays and news broadcasts the booing was cut out.

Jeers can speak louder than words

As for the reception given to anthems, we’d be better off if we didn’t play them before games at all. But since we do, I’m good with setting aside propriety to make a point.

Whatever and whoever the object of any booing, I stand with the right (and, for some, the obligation) to boo.

Booing is the established sound of dissent. So by all means, hiss, hoot and heckle away.

Three cheers for booing.

Stuart Foxman is a Toronto-based freelance writer, who helps clients' products, services, ideas and organizations to come alive. Connect with me here on LinkedIn, or check me out at foxmancommunications.com where I share these blogs too. More original posts coming regularly about communications, information, motivation, writing, branding, creativity, media, marketing, persuasion, messages, learning, etc.