The performer who was tackled during Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl Halftime Show for brandishing a Sudanese and Palestinian flag has been identified.
On Sunday, during Lamar’s performance of “TV Off,” Zül-Qarnain Nantambu pulled out the flag and ran around with it until security caught him. Following his protest, the NFL banned Nantambu for life.
In a new interview with Al Jazeera, Nantambu—who is Muslim, though not Sudanese or Palestinian—was asked if he would have still gone through with the demonstration had he known that it would result in a ban.
“The risk of a ban? I was afraid I was gonna get sniped by a Secret Service’s bullet,” he said. “I can watch a football program on the television if I choose to, sir.”
In another interview Nantambu did with Daily Mail, he revealed that he started waving the flag at the same time that other banners were being displayed. He also said that K Dot knew nothing about his protest.
“It wasn't a part of [Lamar's] plan. I don't want to attribute any of that to him because he didn't know anything about that,” Nantambu told the outlet.
Nantambu was one of 400 cast members who performed on Sunday. The day after the incident, the NFL issued a statement saying that no one was “aware” of his attentions and that he had been banned from NFL events for life.
He also urged Trump to be kinder toward Palestinians and the Sudanese.
"I hope God shifts Trump's heart to be empathetic and compassionate to those who are suffering in Palestine and do what is right by the Palestinians," Nantambu said. "And if he can, help the Sudanese—which I'm sure he can."
