
A performer from Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show was arrested Thursday for displaying a Sudanese flag bearing the message “Sudan and Free Gaza.”
Zul-Qarnain Kwame Nantambu, 41, of New Orleans, surrendered to authorities after an arrest warrant was issued, Louisiana State Police reported.
Nantambu was booked on charges of resisting an officer and disturbing the peace by interrupting a lawful assembly.
Investigators said he deviated from his assigned role by running across the field during the performance, holding the flag aloft.
Security and law enforcement pursued him as he refused to comply with commands to stop, disrupting the halftime show.
The NFL confirmed Nantambu had permission to be on the field but no authorization to demonstrate in this manner.
New Orleans police initially decided not to press charges, but Louisiana State Police later took over and pursued the case.
The NFL praised the state police for their professionalism and banned Nantambu from attending future NFL games or events.
During the performance, Nantambu stood on a car’s roof, waving the flag before jumping off and sprinting across the field.
President Donald Trump was present at the stadium, though it remains unclear whether he witnessed the protest.
In an unrelated incident, Nantambu was the victim of a shooting on May 17 outside a celebrity boxing event in Miami.
Former NFL player Antonio Brown faces an attempted murder charge for allegedly firing two shots at Nantambu after grabbing a security worker’s gun.
Nantambu told investigators one bullet grazed his neck during the violent episode.
This arrest closes a chapter of protest and controversy tied to one of the year’s most watched events.