A Toronto Maple Leafs fan seen holding a sign at a Bruins game reading "Toronto Stronger," seemingly mocking the Boston Marathon bombings, has sparked outrage across the Internet.
It was Game 3 in the Leafs' NHL playoff series against the Boston Bruins when the sign was spotted with the caption that seemed to parody the "Boston Strong" mantra adopted by the city after the bombings on Apr. 15 that killed three people and left more than 260 injured.
And it didn't take long for social media to light up with outrage over the controversial sign.
CBC sports reporter Carly Argo said that the vast majority of people thought the sign was offensive.
"Overwhelmingly, the reaction has been that it was done in bad taste, that it was inappropriate, that it was classless," he said on CBC News Network Tuesday.
"Certainly this is not being received well at all," Argo said in reference to the outpour of anger on Twitter.
And that is definitely true as users on the social media site emphatically responded to the "Toronto Stronger" sign.
"@jimrome Guy yo, can you remind the brain-dead and heartless in Toronto that "Toronto Stronger" signs are the epitome of disrespectful," User Dr. Professor Scott tweeted to CBS Sports personality Jim Rome.
"The sign made by a @MapleLeafs fan that read "Toronto Stronger" is classless," User Michelle Drinnenberg posted.
"I don't care where ur [sic] from or who ur [sic] team is that's unacceptable."
Boston Bruins coach Claude Julien responded to the controversy surrounding the sign, saying that it had nothing to do with the sport.
"Last night's sign, to me, had nothing to do with hockey," he said after team practice Tuesday.
"Boston Strong is about something that struck our city, not our team. Maybe it's a little sensitive for the Boston people."
"Those kind of things happen in playoffs. Unfortunately the best and sometimes the worst comes out of the passion of our game."
But in regard to hockey, the Leafs were not stronger last night as they fell in the best-of-seven series 2-1 after a 5-2 loss Monday night to the Bruins.
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