Dancer banned for life after Super Bowl halftime show incident

A dancer at the Super Bowl halftime show has been banned from all NFL stadiums for life after waving a Sudanese-Palestinian flag during Kendrick Lamar’s performance.

Every year, the Super Bowl delivers viral moments, shocking twists, and endless discussions. This year was no different. While the Philadelphia Eagles dominated the Kansas City Chiefs with a 40-22 victory on Sunday (February 9), the most talked-about moment came during the halftime show.

Kendrick Lamar headlined the performance at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, delivering a 13-minute set packed with hits, a collaboration with SZA, and surprise appearances from Serena Williams, Samuel L. Jackson, and DJ Mustard. But amid the spectacle, an unexpected political statement stole the spotlight.

A surprise protest on stage

During the performance, a man posing as one of Lamar’s backup dancers climbed onto a prop car and unfurled a Sudanese-Palestinian flag with the words “Gaza” and “Sudan” written on it. He then ran across the field waving the flag before being tackled by security and escorted out of the stadium.

Three days after the incident, the individual was identified as Zul-Qarnain Nantambu. It was later confirmed that he was part of the 400-member field cast but had hidden the flag on his person before unveiling it.

A man performing during the Kendrick Lamar halftime concert at #SuperBowl LIX unfurled a Palestinian flag and was chased off stage and finally tackled and removed by security. #SBLIX #Palestine pic.twitter.com/sU8jl1eyE3

— Diya TV (@DiyaTV) February 10, 2025

NFL issues lifetime ban

The NFL swiftly responded to the disruption, announcing a lifetime ban for Nantambu from all league events.

“We commend security for quickly detaining the individual who displayed the flag,” the NFL said in a statement to UPI, as reported by Yahoo. “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 league has strict policies against unauthorized demonstrations during its events, and this incident underscored its zero-tolerance approach to disruptions.

Protester explains his actions

Speaking to NBC, Nantambu defended his actions, explaining that he wanted to bring attention to the struggles faced by people in Sudan and Gaza.

“And I know it would invigorate their faith, seeing somebody supporting them and thinking about them on such a grand stage to bring awareness to that, to their struggles,” he said.

“Maybe we don’t have the military prowess to stop the war, but we can at least do what we can to help those who are afflicted by these different atrocities in these countries.”

A moment of controversy in a star-studded event

While Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show was expected to make headlines—especially after his high-profile rap feud with Drake—Nantambu’s flag-waving moment added an unexpected layer of controversy. His protest has sparked debate online, with some praising his courage and others arguing that the Super Bowl was not the right platform for political statements.

Regardless of the reactions, the NFL has made its stance clear: political protests that disrupt its events will not be tolerated. Nantambu’s ban ensures that he won’t be returning to any NFL stadiums in the future, but his message has already made waves far beyond the football field.