Backup Dancer Raises Sudan and Palestine Flags at Kendrick Lamar’s NFL Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show

During American rapper Kendrick Lamar’s NFL Super Bowl LIX halftime show on 9 February 2025 at the Super Dome in New Orleans, the US, a backup dancer displayed Sudanese and Palestinian flags on stage, highlighting the ongoing conflicts in Sudan and Gaza.

The unidentified individual ran around the field for about 20 seconds with the flags stitched on top of each other, the Sudanese flag followed by the Palestinian flag with Sudan written on the Sudanese flag with a heart drawing and Gaza written on the Palestinian flag with a raised clenched fist drawing. He was then tackled by security. The dancer concealed the flags under his clothes before unfurling them and ran around the field.

*Update: The individual has been identified as 41-year-old Zül-Qarnain Nantambu, a Muslim American artist based in New Orleans, the US, and self-proclaimed freedom fighter.

Many took to social media to commend the individual, who people assumed was a protester attending the NFL Super Bowl LIX, and hoped for his safety. News platforms such as Reuters and Time magazine have stated that he is one of around 400 performers with Lamar on the football field.

Shoutout to the protestor who waved both the Sudanese and Palestinian flags at the halftime show 🇸🇩 🇵🇸 (hope they weren’t beaten up by security) pic.twitter.com/7FW14x6Q3h

— dalliasd (@dalliasd.bsky.social) (@dalliasd) February 10, 2025

Some took to social media to point out that, although he carried both the Sudanese and Palestinian flags, news sources and social media users have left Sudan out of their reporting and/or tweets.

AND sudan. would it literally kill people to acknowledge sudan?honestly i’m just trying to understand. the flag is literally right there. https://t.co/cYTUEmfyop

— Toota says KeepEyesOnSudan🇸🇩 (@tootahalata) February 10, 2025

Why are you ignoring the Sudan flag on there too you evil piece of shit?

— gha*da 🌺🇸🇩☥ (@thisisNOTghaida) February 10, 2025

it’s two flags. palestinian AND SUDANESE pic.twitter.com/i6olot2fbF

— 𓂆 deeja⁷🫒 (@deedeehimawari) February 10, 2025

According to the production company Roc Nation, this incident was not rehearsed or planned, and carried out by the dancer independently. The individual was subsequently detained by security and banned from future NFL events and stadiums. However, NFL will not press charges.

This is the second public event where the flags of the two countries were presented together to bring attention to the conflicts in each respective country. In July 2024, well-known British-Japanese visual artist Hana Tajima has gained attention on social media for her Palestinian and Sudanese themed dress, which she wore to a banquet at Buckingham Palace, the royal residence in London, and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the UK.

The wars

The Sudan war, which began on 15 April 2023, is an ongoing conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The fighting erupted due to power struggles between General Abdel Fattah Al Burhan, leading the SAF, and General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), leading the RSF, following Sudan’s failed transition to civilian rule. More than 150,000 have been killed, and more than 12 mn people have been displaced, with approximately 8.5 mn internally displaced within Sudan and the remainder seeking refuge in neighbouring countries.

Israel’s war on Gaza, which is also known as the Israel-Hamas war, began on 7 October 2023, and left more than 41,000 Palestinians killed in Gaza, including about 18,000 children, and more than 96,000 wounded.

The flags

Although Sudan and Palestine share almost identical flags that are commonly and easily confused with each other. The flags of Sudan and Palestine both feature the Pan-Arab colours (red, white, black, and green) and horizontal stripes, but Sudan’s flag includes a green triangle, while Palestine’s flag has a red triangle. The colours in both flags symbolise themes of independence, peace, and the people’s struggles, but with specific cultural and national meanings tied to each country.

The reactions

A backup dancer holding the Sudanese and Palestinian flags was chased off the stage during the Superbowl Halftime show.

🇸🇩❤️🇵🇸 pic.twitter.com/p35K4kl3qw

— • (@Alhamdhulillaah) February 10, 2025

⚡️BREAKING:

A performer waved the flags of Palestine and Sudan during the Super Bowl halftime show and was chased off stage and finally tackled and removed by security.

Shout out to him!👏🏻 #SuperBowl 🇵🇸🇸🇩 pic.twitter.com/dZlu7fLs6S

— Suppressed News. (@SuppressedNws) February 10, 2025

Earlier part of the Kendrick Lamar performance before the guy with the "Gaza Sudan" flag was tackled. #SuperBowlLIX pic.twitter.com/5hminT505S

— Stephen Espinoza (@StephenEspinoza) February 10, 2025

Friend at the Superbowl caught one of Kendrick's background dancers repping Sudan and Gaza during the halftime show before getting chased and dragged off the field. Obviously was cut from the broadcast but any attempt to make a blip on the American consciousness is worth it 😤 pic.twitter.com/Nm5jzj94ew

— jessica jin (@jessicajin_) February 10, 2025

Anyone else catch the Palestinian and Sudan flag during the Super Bowl halftime show #SuperBowl #KendrickBowl #FreePalestine #FreeSudan pic.twitter.com/TXJmoGSAdw

— Sahar (@saharbjones) February 10, 2025

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