Toronto Raptors to boycott Trump hotels on road trips
In the wake of the protests that have swept across major league sports teams, the Toronto Raptors have joined in the boycotting of Donald Trump's hotel chain.
Like many other teams, the Raptors will no longer stay at Trump's SoHo hotel in New York. Reports indicate that the team used to stay there prior to Trump's presidency.
It's unclear when exactly the Raptors boycott began, but it's sure to be viewed in light of the widespread animosity between Trump and professional athletes that has erupted as of late.
Members of the NFL began to protest police brutality in the U.S. with the #TakeAKnee movement in September, which has now made international headlines and promoted athletes from different sports, including the Raptors, to voice their support.
President Trump has been outspoken about national anthem protests, decrying them as an offence to American values. He's even gone so far as threatening to 'change the tax law' to punish pro athletes who refuse to stand for the anthem.
The idea of boycotting Trump's hotels goes back earlier than this, though. Impassioned Raptors fans began an online petition back in February urging the team to boycott Trump's hotels, which generated almost 17,000 signatures.
Now it looks like the Raptors will one of many sports teams looking elsewhere for luxury accommodations.
Jesse Milns
