It was one of the St. Louis Blues' best games of the season, with six goals and a resounding victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. But while the players battled on the ice, an anti-Israel protest was unfolding in the stands at Enterprise Center in Missouri.
Near the ice rink, protesters unfurled an Israeli flag splashed with red paint resembling blood, bearing the words "Israel Kills." From a private suite, banners reading "Free America from Israel" were displayed, featuring an illustration of the Statue of Liberty with an Israeli flag covering its mouth, alongside another depiction of the statue in chains. Following the incident, the American hockey team announced that the protesters had been removed from the arena over what it described as an antisemitic incident.
The incident took place last Thursday during a home game for the Blues in the National Hockey League (NHL), in front of more than 18,000 spectators. The signs appeared in at least two locations: seats near the ice and a private suite overlooking the stands. Photographs published after the game also showed a crossed-out Star of David on one of the signs, surrounded by red stains. Some protesters wore shirts in the colors of the Palestinian flag. Security personnel and police intervened, confiscated the banners and escorted those carrying them out of the arena.
On Monday, Blues chairman and owner Tom Stillman issued an official statement condemning the incident. Stillman said both he and the St. Louis Blues organization condemned antisemitic rhetoric in all its forms. He described the signs as "vile messages of hate" that were "unfortunate and unforgivable" and said they in no way represented the team's fans or the city. "Antisemitism has no place in our community," he added, making clear that such displays would not be tolerated in the arena.
According to its own statement, the protest was organized by Freedom Convoy USA, a movement that set out from Los Angeles in mid-October on a cross-country protest journey to Washington, demanding an end to U.S. aid to Israel. Its activists also distributed leaflets outside the hockey arena. Their stated goal was to reach the capital on October 26 and submit a petition to Congress calling for money allocated to Israel to be redirected toward the needs of American citizens.
In response to Stillman's condemnation, convoy organizers insisted that the protest was not antisemitic. "Criticizing Israel is in no way, shape or form antisemitic," the group said, accusing Stillman of attempting to silence political criticism. Blues fans, the organizers argued, have the right to ask why their tax dollars are funding the Israeli military while they struggle to afford housing, food, healthcare and education. They also claimed that equating criticism of Israel with hatred of Jews was itself a form of antisemitism.
The protest also violated Enterprise Center's regulations, which require signs to relate directly to the event taking place, prohibit attaching them to parts of the building and give management the right to ban offensive images and messages.
The regional branch of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) viewed the display as far more than a political protest. Its regional director, Jordan Kadosh, explained that the suggestion that Israel secretly controls the United States echoes longstanding antisemitic conspiracy theories about Jewish control of government. He said the combination of a Star of David and blood-like red stains also recalled historical blood libels against Jews.
Kadosh, himself a Blues fan, said sporting events should be places where fans from all backgrounds can come together over their shared love of a team.
The Blues' ties to the Jewish community
The protest joins a series of demonstrations against Israel at international sporting events. In September last year, organizers of Spain's Vuelta a España cycling race were forced to cancel the final stage in Madrid after pro-Palestinian protesters blocked the route over the participation of the Israel Premier Tech team. During the 2026 World Cup in Mexico City, protesters also gathered near the opening event and formed a giant human Palestinian flag.
Back on the ice, meanwhile, St. Louis finished the night with a 6-2 victory. Defenseman Justin Barron recorded a goal and three assists, while Dylan Holloway scored twice and added an assist. The team, which won its first Stanley Cup in 2019, has a particularly long history of ties to the city's Jewish community.
The men who brought the NHL franchise to St. Louis were Jewish businessmen Sidney Salomon Jr. and his son, Sid Salomon III, who acquired the franchise and its arena in 1966. In 1983, Jewish businessman Harry Ornest bought the financially troubled team and helped prevent its relocation to Saskatoon, Canada. Both Salomons were inducted into the inaugural class of the Blues Hall of Fame in 2023.
The elder Salomon, who also chaired the St. Louis Jewish Federation's fundraising campaign in 1967, had a particular sense of humor about his name and heritage. In one speech, he joked that he had one thing in common with King Solomon: Solomon built the Temple in Jerusalem, while he bought the hockey arena in St. Louis.