During the highly anticipated Super Bowl halftime show in New Orleans, a dramatic and symbolic protest took place that quickly captured the attention of millions of viewers around the world. The performer, who was part of Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show, held up the flags of Sudan and Palestine during the performance, sparking both admiration and controversy. The NFL has since announced that the individual involved will face a lifetime ban from all NFL stadiums and events. According to a league spokesperson, the protester acted without coordinating with the show’s organizers or production team, leaving many questions unanswered about how the incident unfolded.
The protest occurred toward the end of Lamar’s set, just as he began performing his song “tv off.” Footage and photos from the event show the protester dressed in black, blending in with the dancers nearby, while holding what appeared to be a combination of the Sudanese and Palestinian flags. The flags bore the words “Sudan” and “Gaza,” respectively. The individual was first spotted standing on top of a black car that was part of the stage setup. Moments later, video captured by CNN affiliate WDSU showed the protester running onto the field with the flag before being swiftly detained by security personnel. Despite the brief nature of the act, the flags were visible in the background during the Super Bowl broadcast, ensuring that the protester’s message reached a massive audience.
The demonstrator was later identified as Zül-Qarnain Nantambu, a New Orleans-based artist who spoke to CNN about his actions. Nantambu explained that he had been part of the halftime show’s rehearsals but had not shared his plan with anyone. He revealed that the idea to protest had come to him during the third or fourth rehearsal, as he realized the platform he had been given. “As practices went on, the plan was formulated, but I definitely knew I wanted to make a sign, a sign of solidarity with the Muslims and to bring awareness to the struggles of the people that are oppressed,” he said. Nantambu emphasized that his actions were motivated by a desire to highlight the human suffering in Sudan and Gaza, where ongoing conflicts have caused immense devastation and displacement.
The humanitarian crises in Sudan and Gaza were central to Nantambu’s protest. In Gaza, the past year has seen relentless violence, with tens of thousands of Palestinians killed and nearly 1.9 million people—about 90% of Gaza’s population—displaced, according to the United Nations. The conflict escalated after Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, prompting Israeli bombardment of the enclave. Meanwhile, in Sudan, a brutal civil war between two rival generals, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, has led to thousands of deaths and millions of displaced people. The U.S. has accused both sides of committing war crimes, with outgoing Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently asserting that one of the factions had committed genocide. Nantambu, who is Muslim, expressed a deep sense of connection to the people of both regions, describing their suffering as “crimes against humanity.”
Nantambu’s bold act of protest has drawn both praise and criticism. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the largest Muslim advocacy group in the U.S., hailed him as a hero. In a statement, CAIR said, “This brave act of peaceful protest should serve as a reminder that many Americans recognize the humanity of those suffering abroad as a result of American foreign policy.” Nantambu also hoped to send a message to influential figures in attendance, including former President Donald Trump, who he criticized for his stance on Gaza. “All these people with so much affluence and so much following and God, put the flag before their eyes, put their struggle, their plight, right before their eyes,” Nantambu said. “Right in the face of Donald Trump, the same man that was just sitting with Netanyahu, talking about redoing Gaza without the Gazans.”
Despite the widespread attention his protest garnered, Nantambu will now face significant consequences. The NFL has banned him for life from all league stadiums and events, and while he was not arrested or issued a summons, his actions have sparked a broader conversation about the role of protest in sports and entertainment. Roc Nation, the entertainment company founded by Jay-Z that helped organize the halftime show, released a statement distancing itself from the incident, confirming that the protest was unplanned and unauthorized. The NFL also commended its security team for quickly detaining Nantambu, stating that he had concealed the flags during rehearsals and only revealed them toward the end of the performance. As the news continues to unfold, Nantambu’s protest has become a symbol of resistance and solidarity, highlighting the enduring power of activism in the face of global injustice.
