Two fans raised a Greenland flag during the United States vs Denmark men's ice hockey match at the Winter Olympics on Saturday, saying they wanted to show European solidarity with Denmark amid recent tensions over Greenland. Vita Kalniņa and Alexander Kalniņš, Latvian hockey fans living in Germany, held up the flag during warm-ups and when Denmark scored the opening goal at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.
“We are Europeans and I think as Europeans we must hold together,” Kalniņš told the Associated Press. “The Greenlandic people decide what will happen with Greenland, but as it is now, Greenland is a part of the Danish kingdom and, as Greenland is a part of Denmark as in this case, we support both countries against the US.”
The gesture comes after Donald Trump's recent rhetoric about taking control of Greenland stirred national pride in Denmark. The Greenland flag, known as Erfalasorput, is not officially flown at the Olympics as the International Olympic Committee only recognises independent sovereign states. Greenland is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark.
On the ice, the US defeated Denmark 6-3. Denmark took an early lead after an own goal by Zach Werenski, but the US rallied with goals from Brady Tkachuk, Jack Eichel, Noah Hanifin, Jake Guentzel and Jack Hughes. The win gives the US six points in the standings, level with Canada, heading into the final day of the preliminary round.
Despite the political backdrop, players downplayed any connection to the match. “None of the geopolitics reached the ice,” the report noted, with multiple Danish players dismissing the link between the Greenland situation and the game. The US will next face Germany in round-robin play.
