Heckler Interrupts Vanessa Williams' National Anthem Performance Before NBA London Game: 'Leave Greenland Alone!'
- - Heckler Interrupts Vanessa Williams' National Anthem Performance Before NBA London Game: 'Leave Greenland Alone!'
Natasha DyeJanuary 20, 2026 at 3:26 AM
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Glyn KIRK / AFP via Getty
Vanessa Williams at the O2 Arena on Jan. 18, 2026 -
A heckler interrupted Vanessa Williams' performance of the U.S. national anthem at the O2 Arena in London on Sunday, Jan. 18
The heckler shouted, "Leave Greenland alone!" during the performance, but Williams appeared unbothered and completed the anthem
The interruption comes amid President Donald Trump's pursuit of acquiring Greenland
Vanessa Williams' performance of the U.S. national anthem was interrupted by a heckler during the NBA's London game on Sunday, Jan. 18.
The unidentified heckler interrupted Williams, 62, as she was singing "The Star Spangled Banner" before tipoff between the Memphis Grizzlies and Orlando Magic at the O2 Arena in London. The heckler shouted, "Leave Greenland alone!" about midway through the song.
Players from both teams were on the court when the interruption occurred. According to the , the crowd had a mixed reaction of "scattered laughter and applause," while Williams was "unfazed" by the interruption.
The moment can be seen in a video shared on YouTube.
Toby Castaldi-Davies/NBAE via Getty
NBA court in London, England
The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Orlando Magic 126-109 in London, marking the first NBA game to take place in the city since 2019.
The heckler's message comes amid President Donald Trump's declaration that he's pursuing a "range of options" to acquire Greenland.
On Sunday, Jan. 18, PBS NewsHour reporter Nick Schifrin posted a copy of a letter the president sent to the prime minister of Norway, linking his loss of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize to his current desire to seize control of Greenland.
In it, Trump wrote, “Dear Jonas: Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America."
The NBA game in London was one of two played between the Grizzlies and the Magic in Europe.
On Thursday, Jan. 15, the teams squared off in Berlin, Germany, where the Magic pulled out a come-from-behind victory, 118-111, in which Orlando's Anthony Black went viral for a dunk over four Grizzlies defenders.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
