Fans who raised Greenland's flag at US-Denmark Olympic hockey game say it was a pro-European gesture

MILAN (AP) — Two fans who raised a flag of Greenland as the United States played Denmark in men's hockey at the Winter Olympics Saturday in Milan say they did so as a gesture of European support for the island and for Denmark.

Vita Kalniņa and her husband, Alexander Kalniņš — fans of the Latvian hockey team who live in Germany — held up a large red and white Greenland flag during warmups and again when the Danish team scored the opening goal of the preliminary round game against the U.S., which ultimately beat Denmark 6-3.

"For us as Europeans it was important to show up (with) this symbol as a symbol of a European unity that we support Greenland,” Kalniņš told The Associated Press.

Trump’s rhetoric in recent weeks about taking control of Greenland has stirred up national pride in Denmark, which oversees the semiautonomous island, as well as support from across the European continent.

Yet inside the hockey area on Saturday, Kalniņa and Kalniņš say they were told by venue staff that they could not continue to hold up the flag, even as American flags were waved throughout the stands.

“He said it was due to safety reasons, because there could be American aggressive people,” Kalniņš told The Associated Press.

Kalniņa and Kalniņš complied because they wanted to watch the game. After all, they said, they'd made their point because anyone inside the arena — and those watching on TV — had already seen the flag.

“I think the message was sent,” Kalniņš said.

The Greenland flag’s status at the Games is unclear because Greenland doesn’t participate with its own team. Greenlandic athletes, such as biathlete siblings Ukaleq and Sondre Slettemark, compete as part of Denmark's team.

A guide on the official Olympic website for the opening ceremony specified that fans can only bring “flags of countries and territories participating in the Games.”

Greenland is a self-governing territory of the kingdom of Denmark.

Kalniņa and Kalniņš said they want Greenlanders to know that Europe supports the Arctic island whether it stays a part of Denmark or ultimately chooses full independence.

“It’s not OK that Trump and America are this aggressive and try to incorporate the island into their country,” Kalniņš said

Meanwhile, the Danish athletes playing in the so-called “Greenland Derby" said politics never made it to the ice.

As for the strained relationship between the U.S. and Denmark, “we didn’t even mention it” within the team, captain Jesper Jensen Aabo said. “We just wanted to win a hockey game against a world-class team. We didn’t need extra fire to fire us up. We were ready for the game even though there’s stuff going around in the real world, so that’s nothing that affected us at all.”

The captain said the players did not notice the Greenland flag in the stands.

“I didn’t see it, but that was nice,” Jensen Aabo said. “So hopefully they supported us.”

Other American and Danish fans who watched their teams face off said they believe sports transcends politics amid recent tensions between their governments over Greenland.

“It doesn’t matter whatever sport it is — it could be tennis, it could be bobsledding, it can be ice hockey, it could be football — it has nothing to do with politics," Danish fan Dennis Petersen, his face covered in red and white paint to symbolize the kingdom's flag, told the AP ahead of the game. "They are athletes, not politicians.”

American fan Rem de Rohan, sporting a stars and stripes jacket, agreed that politics should be left at the stadium gate.

“I think this is the time for people to kind of put that down and compete country versus country and enjoy," he said. “We love rooting on every country that’s been here.”

Kostya Manenkov, James Ellingworth and Stephen Whyno in Milan contributed to this report.

AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

United States fans cheer during a preliminary round match of men's ice hockey between United States and Denmark at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

United States' Jack Hughes, right, shoots against Denmark's goalkeeper Mads Sogaard during a preliminary round match of men's ice hockey between United States and Denmark at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Fans hold Greenland national flag before a preliminary round match of men's ice hockey between United States and Denmark at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Fans hold Greenland national flag before a preliminary round match of men's ice hockey between United States and Denmark at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Fans hold Greenland national flag before a preliminary round match of men's ice hockey between United States and Denmark at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

Fans hold Greenland national flag before a preliminary round match of men's ice hockey between United States and Denmark at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — JT Toppin scored eight of his 31 points in a dominant overtime performance and No. 16 Texas Tech sent No. 1 Arizona to its second straight loss, shocking the Wildcats 78-75 on Saturday.

Texas Tech (19-6, 9-3 Big 12) beat the No. 1 team for the third time in school history. The Wildcats (23-2, 10-2) were 23-0 before losing to No. 9 Kansas 82-78 on Monday.

Arizona had a 64-57 lead with 3:29 left in regulation, but Texas Tech responded with 9-0 run, capped by Donovan Atwell's corner 3-pointer with 25 seconds left for a 66-64 lead. Arizona's Ivan Kharchenkov tied it at 66 with two free throws and Christian Anderson couldn't hit a contested jumper as time expired.

After the short break, Toppin went to work, scoring four baskets on an array of tip-ins and low-post moves. The preseason All-America selection shot 13 of 22 from the field and had 13 rebounds to finish with his 47th career double-double. Anderson added 19 points, hitting six 3-pointers.

Arizona's Tobe Awaka had 16 points and 12 rebounds. Freshman Brayden Burries also scored 16 points.

The Wildcats were without star freshman Koa Peat in the second half because of a lower-body injury. Peat had two points and a rebound in the first half.

Arizona was already missing backup guard Dwayne Aristode, who was out with an illness, meaning coach Tommy Lloyd was down to essentially a six-man rotation.

Arizona led for the majority of the first half, but Texas Tech pushed ahead 30-29 on Toppin’s short jumper with 2:04 left before the break. It was tied at 32 at the half.

Texas Tech: At Arizona State on Tuesday night.

Arizona: Hosts BYU on Wednesday night.

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

Texas Tech forward JT Toppin drives past Arizona center Motiejus Krivas (13) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026, in Tucson, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)