Performer detained for unfurling Sudanese-Palestinian flag during Super Bowl halftime show
A performer at the Super Bowl halftime show was detained by police after waving a flag combining Palestinian and Sudanese symbols.
The Brief The protester who displayed a Palestinian flag during Kendrick Lamars Super Bowl halftime show wont face charges.The individual was tackled after running across the field, and has been banned from future NFL events.Roc Nation confirmed the flag display was not planned, and the protest was unexpected.
NEW ORLEANS – A performer, who displayed the Palestinian flag with the word “GAZA” during Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show, won’t face charges, New Orleans police said Monday.
What we know:
The banner combined the black stripes of the flags honored by the Sudanese and Palestinian peoples and also had the word SUDAN on it. The cast member, one of dozens of dancers clad in identical black sweats, held it high while standing on the roof of the car that was a centerpiece of the hip-hop artist’s performance, and then jumped off the stage and ran across the field before being tackled by several men in suits.
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A protestor holds a Palestinian flag with the words “Gaza” and “Sudan” as US rapper Kendrick Lamar performs during Super Bowl LIX Chiefs vs Eagles Apple Music Halftime Show at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, February 9, 2025. (Photo by C
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The cast member had hidden the flag and “no one involved with the production was aware of the individual’s intent,” the NFL said Sunday, adding that the person has earned a lifetime ban from league stadiums and events.
What we dont know:
President Donald Trump was in the stadium for the game, but it wasn’t clear if he saw the protest.
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The backstory:
Trump’s comments asserting that his government is committed to buying and owning Gaza have been widely rejected by the Palestinian people, upending discussions about the enclave’s future.
What theyre saying:
Roc Nation, the entertainment company which produced the halftime show, said in a statement provided by the NFL that the flag display was not planned.
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The Source: The Associated Press contributed to this report. The information in this story came from a combination of statements from New Orleans police, the NFL, and Roc Nation, as well as observations about the Super Bowl halftime show and the flag protest. This story was reported from Los Angeles.
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