A dancer who was reportedly banned by NFL for life after holding up a political flag during Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime performance has now broken his silence. The very anticipated halftime show at Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans saw Kendrick Lamar take center stage alongside SZA and tennis icon Serena Williams. The rapper delivered an electrifying performance of “Not Like Us” and “HUMBLE,” which was enough to mesmerize the audience inside Caesars Superdome.
However, aside from the grandeur of the performance, there has been an unexpected moment that grabbed headlines. It was when a dancer within the 400-member field cast raised a flag with the words “Gaza” and “Sudan” written on it. Security immediately tackled him to the ground and removed him from the stadium. That action has further led to his permanent ban from all NFL events and stadiums.
View this post on Instagram
After this happened, the NFL was quick to issue a statement and condemned the act.
“We commend security for quickly detaining the individual who displayed the flag,” the league told UPI, as per Yahoo News. “He was part of the 400-member field cast. The individual hid the item on his person and unveiled it late in the show. No one involved with the production was aware of the individual’s intent. The individual will be banned for life from all NFL stadiums and events.”
The New Orleans Police Department also confirmed that the dancer was ejected by security but would not face any legal charges. They stated, “No arrest nor summons was issued.”
The dancer is identified as Zül-Qarnain Nantambu. He has now spoken out about the act that led to his lifetime ban.
In an interview with Al Jazeera, he opened up about his fear at the moment, saying: “The risk of a ban? I was afraid I was going to get sniped by a Secret Service bullet.” He was defiant about his actions and insisted he took the opportunity to bring global attention to the humanitarian crises in Gaza and Sudan.
“A lot of people didn’t know what’s going on in Gaza, what’s going on in Sudan, and they feel like they’re not being represented properly,” Nantambu explained. “So I had the opportunity to represent them on a global scale, and I had to take that opportunity—just even to get the prayers of the people. Just to get the prayers of Palestinians to the Sudanese.”
the Super Bowl dancer that held up a Palestinian Flag will face no charges but has received a Lifetime Ban from future NFL Stadiums and Events pic.twitter.com/jJhAELebDc
— ryan 🤿 (@scubaryan_) February 10, 2025
Even though the NFL took the strictest action on him, Nantambu dismissed the concerns of missing future Super Bowls. He stated, “I can watch a football program on television if I choose to, sir.”
Some viewers supported the NFL’s decision, but others have taken a stand for Nantambu. They argued that his actions were a peaceful protest for a humanitarian cause. The incident has sparked a heated debate online, with activists and fans divided in both outrage and support.
