An interesting national anthem was performed at Dodger Stadium at Saturday, and not because the team wanted it.
Rather than sing the traditional “The Star-Spangled Banner,” Vanessa Hernández, who performs under the name Nezza, sang “El Pendón Estrellado,” the official Spanish version of the anthem commissioned by they U.S. government under Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1945.
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She apparently did so in defiance of the Dodgers’ instructions, as she posted a TikTok following the performance showing an unidentified employee explicitly telling her the song should be in English.
“We are going to do the song in English today, so I don’t know if that wasn’t translated — er, communicated,” the employee said.
Nezza’s caption: “Watch the Dodgers tell me I can’t sing the Spanish Star Spangled Banner that Roosevelt literally commissioned in 1945 — so I did it anyway.” Wearing a shirt with the flag and colors of her native Dominican Republic, an emotional Nezza paused for tears before delivering the song’s final line.
In a different video, Nezza confirmed she performed the song as a protest on the part of the Latino community as the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency continues to carry out raids in Los Angeles:
“I didn’t think I would be met with any sort of ‘No,’ especially because we’re in L.A. with everything happening. I’ve sang the national anthem many times in my life, but today I could not. I’m sorry … I just could not believe, when she walked in and told me ‘No,’ but I just felt like I needed to do it, para mi gente (for my people).
“My parents are immigrants. They’ve been citizens my whole life at this point, they got documented really early, but I just can’t imagine them being ripped away from me, even at this age, let alone a little kid. Like, what are we doing?”
Despite Nezza saying “Safe to say I’m never allowed in that stadium ever again,” The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya reports that she was not punished or ejected from Dodger Stadium and is not expected to be banned from the stadium. The team reportedly declined comment on her videos.
Nezza ignored a request from the Dodgers amid a protracted dispute over ICE raids in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
How have Los Angeles teams responded to the ICE raids?
ICE has been raiding locations throughout Los Angeles since June 6, triggering protests across the city and major political disputes between local politicians and President Donald Trump’s administration, most notably the arrest of Sen. Alex Padilla while confronting Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
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Both California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass have urged for ICE to leave, but Trump has gone as far as mobilizing the California National Guard and deploying hundreds of Marines in the city.
A federal judge ruled Trump’s federalization of the National Guard was illegal on Friday, but the order to return control to Newsom has been paused pending an appeal this week. Trump himself has somewhat backtracked amid the chaos, directing officers to halt arresting employees at farms, hotels and restaurants. Arrests have continued at other locations.
The Dodgers and many of the other major teams in the Los Angeles area have largely remained silent about the current events, though exceptions include MLS’s LAFC and the NWSL’s Angel City. LAFC released a statement expressing solidarity with the community amid “fear and uncertainty,” while Angel City went a step further with shirts reading “Immigrant City Football Club.”
Individual members of the Dodgers organization have spoken out in Instagram as well.
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Veteran utility man Kiké Hernández said he is “saddened and infuriated by what’s happening in our country and our city,” and that he “cannot stand to see our community being violated, profiled, abused and ripped apart.”
Former Dodgers first baseman Adrián González, who now works for the team as a broadcaster, called the raids “unconstitutional” and “illegal,” urging the government to stop separating families.
Meanwhile, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who has spoken on social justice issues in the past, pleaded ignorance of the issues on Friday, per The Athletic:
“Honestly, I don’t know enough, to be quite honest with you. I know that when you’re having to bring people in and deport people, all the unrest, it’s certainly unsettling for everyone. But I haven’t dug enough and can’t speak intelligently on it.”
Perhaps Hernández can give him some details.
