Banners went up inside Enterprise Center during the St. Louis Blues‘ game against the Vegas Golden Knights last Thursday. One read “Israel Kills” beside a crossed-out Star of David surrounded by red markings resembling blood. Another read “Free America from Israel.”
Arena staff and local law enforcement confiscated them and removed the people holding them from the building.
Blues chairman and owner Tom Stillman addressed it publicly on Monday.
“The St. Louis Blues organization, and I personally, condemn antisemitic rhetoric in all forms,” Stillman said. “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.”
He also confirmed what had happened in the building.
“Our arena staff and local law enforcement responded immediately to confiscate the prohibited banners and eject the offending individuals,” he said. “Antisemitism has no place in our community, and we will never allow it in our building.”
Enterprise Center’s rules on signs and banners:
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Subject matter | Must relate to the event |
| Maximum size | 24 by 36 inches |
| Placement | Must not obstruct other spectators’ views |
Who was responsible for the banners at the Blues game?
A group calling itself the 2026 Freedom Convoy claimed responsibility, and rejected the characterization Stillman had applied to it.
“Criticizing Israel is in no way, shape or form antisemitic,” the group said in a statement.
That disagreement is the one playing out in the responses online, where some have read the banners as criticism of a government’s conduct and others as something aimed at Jewish people. Jewish organizations in St. Louis welcomed the club’s statement.
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What isn’t disputed is the arena rule the banners fell foul of. Enterprise Center’s code of conduct requires signs to relate to the event taking place, which gave staff grounds to remove them regardless of what the words said.
The Blues play Boston on Thursday, closing a five-game homestand.
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