The St. Louis Blues have condemned an antisemitic protest that took place during the team's NHL game against the Vegas Golden Knights last Thursday at Enterprise Center, after spectators displayed banners carrying anti-Israel messages.
The signs, which included "Israel Kills" and "Free America from Israel", were raised in the stands during the game, prompting intervention by arena security personnel and local police.
In a statement released Monday, Blues owner Tom Stillman denounced the incident and emphasized that the messages did not reflect the values of the organization or its supporters.
"The St. Louis Blues organization - and I personally - condemn antisemitic rhetoric in all forms. The vile messages of hate briefly displayed at our game last Thursday were unfortunate and unforgivable, and not remotely representative of our fans or our hometown."
Stillman said security officials acted promptly to remove the banners and those responsible.
"Our arena staff and local law enforcement responded immediately to confiscate the prohibited banners and eject the offending individuals. Antisemitism has no place in our community, and we will never allow it in our building."
A group calling itself the 2026 Freedom Convoy claimed responsibility for organizing the demonstration but rejected the Blues' description of the protest as antisemitic.
"Criticizing Israel is in no way, shape or form antisemitic," the group said in a statement cited by The Associated Press.
According to the St. Louis Jewish Light, protesters displayed banners in multiple areas of the arena, including seats near the ice and a private suite overlooking Sections 111 and 112.
Additional signs hanging from the suite featured the words “Free America From Israel" alongside images of the Statue of Liberty.
Images taken from video footage published by activists on Instagram showed uniformed personnel escorting demonstrators through the seating area near Section 105.
The incident also drew criticism from the Anti-Defamation League's Heartland regional office, which issued a statement Friday condemning the messages displayed during the game.
“The anti-Israel slogans on display at yesterday’s St. Louis Blues game were deeply disturbing and hurtful," said Jordan Kadosh, ADL Heartland’s regional director. “This rhetoric only fuels hateful antisemitic conspiracy theories and serves to alienate Jewish fans."
Kadosh stressed that sporting events should provide an inclusive environment rather than become platforms for hostility.
“Sporting events should bring people of all backgrounds together around a shared experience and should never be used as a vehicle to amplify hate," he added.