A Vancouver woman invited to sing O Canada before a Seahawks game in Seattle says she will take a knee after the American anthem to support protesting NFL players.
Arielle Tuliao says she broke down in tears after the team contacted her to sing Canada’s national anthem as they honour their growing Canadian fan base at Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts.
But Tuliao says she’s been conflicted about how to support players who have kneeled during the Star-Spangled Banner as part of protests against police brutality and then against U.S. President Donald Trump’s criticism of their actions as unpatriotic.
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Tuliao says she was initially afraid to wade into the issue in the U.S. but decided she couldn’t let fear stop her from “doing the right thing” and showing her support for human rights.
The 28-year-old anthem singer says kneeling after O Canada would have gone against the Seahawks’ celebration of Canada so she decided today to kneel after the American anthem.
Tuliao has belted out Canada’s national anthem for the Vancouver Canucks and the Whitecaps and says she’s equally thrilled to honour her country south of the border.
The Canadian Press
