Los Angeles Dodgers fans are divided over the singer who defied orders from the team to sing a Spanish rendition of the American national anthem at the weekend.
Dominican singer Nezza, 30, claimed the MLB team tried to stop her performing the Star Spangled Banner in Spanish before Saturday’s game against the San Francisco Giants, before she did it anyway as a show of solidarity with ICE protestors in the city.
Nezza, whose real name is Vanessa Hernandez, executed the poignant tribute against the Dodgers’ wishes on the day of ‘No Kings’ protests across the US over Donald Trump’s controversial immigration policies, which comes after a week of unrest in LA.
And after she posted a clip on TikTok which shows a Dodgers official telling her to sing the anthem in English, before she stunningly defied that request, a large portion of the team’s fans have heaped praise on Hernandez.
One replied to her latest TikTok video by saying: ’50 year dodgers fan & proud of you, no more games til they make this right.’
‘As a la native and a dodgers fan, I’m disappointed in them,’ said another. ‘I’m so glad you SANNNG it in Spanish even though they told you not too! You got a new follower queen’.
Los Angeles Dodgers fans are divided over singer Nezza (pictured) – who defied orders from the team to sing a Spanish rendition of the American national anthem
Nezza shared a video of her being told by a Dodgers official to sing the anthem in English
‘God damn. Dodgers have botched the last week pretty badly,’ another fan posted on X about the anthem controversy.
While one said about Nezza: ‘Good for her. The @dodgers are being hypocritical. They’ll have Mexico Night, hire Mariachis to play at the games, & have surely cashed in on billions of $ of revenue from a loyal Latino fan-base, much of it undocumented. Maybe when/if they get hit in the pocketbook….’
However, other members of the Dodgers faithful were less impressed by her protest after being invited by the team to sing in English.
‘Total lack of respect by @Nezza,’ one concluded. ‘She’s invited by @Dodgers to sing in English. But makes decision to sing in Spanish. This is why people don’t take WOKE/DEI/serious. People should boycott her music’.
Another commented: ‘If the @Dodgers invite Nezza back to Dodger Stadium for another reimagining of our Star Spangled Banner I know I won’t be the only one who stays away. Spoke to many friends (Latino included) and it doesn’t sit right with any of us. She can serenade Dominican Rep crowds instead.’
While one even claimed: ‘After Nezza singing [in Spanish] and not being banned forever, I will never attend another Dodger game’.
The Dodgers did not respond to a request for comment from DailyMail.com on Sunday.
In a tearful follow-up video to her original TikTok post, Hernandez suggested she has been banned from Dodger Stadium after ignoring the request to perform in English.
Dodgers fans are split over Nezza’s rebellious move, with some praising her and others furious
The 30-year-old has opened up on the ‘insane’ reaction to her protest in a new TikTok video
‘Thank you for all the sweet messages,’ she concluded at the end of the video before adding, ‘I love you guys so much. Safe to say I am never allowed in that stadium again.’
Yet according to The LA Times, she was not punished for ignoring the team request and is not banned from Dodger Stadium in the future.
The R&B artist, whose online following has skyrocketed on the back of her viral post, also took to TikTok on Sunday to comment on the ‘insane’ reaction over the weekend.
‘There’s so many of you on here now. Welcome, hello. Oh my god, what is happening?’ she said in astonishment.
‘I am just so taken aback by all the love. I went into yesterday with no expectations. I’ve also been online for a long time, so you just never know.
‘And I just wanted to say thank you, and it’s so beautiful to see us all come together and support each other. Like, crazy.
‘It’s also been so insane looking at who’s backed me today.’
Protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement crackdowns have been rife across Los Angeles over that last week.
The Dodgers visited Donald Trump at the White House back in April as World Series winners
The Dodgers, who recently visited Trump in the White House as World Series champions, have not commented on the scenes.
LA player Kike Hernandez adressed the situation on Instagram on Saturday, saying: ‘I may not be Born & Raised, but this city adopted me as one of their own.
‘I am saddened and infuriated by what’s happening in our country and our city. Los Angeles and Dodger fans have welcomed me, supported me and shown me nothing but kindness and love.’
Hernandez, who was born in Puerto Rico, added: ‘This is my second home. And I cannot stand to see our community being violated, profiled, abused and ripped apart. ALL people deserve to be treated with respect, dignity and human rights. #CityOfImmigrants.’
