The protester who was tackled during Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl Halftime Show for waving a Sudanese and Palestinian flag speaks out for the first time.
Zül-Qarnian Nantambu ran across the field with the flag during Lamar’s performance of “TV Off” before he was caught by security. After, the NFL banned him for life. In a recent interview, Nantambu, who is Muslim, was asked if he would do the protest over again if he knew that he would be banned for life.
“The risk of a ban? I was afraid I was gonna get sniped by a Secrey Service’s bullet,” he said. “I can watch a football program on the television if I choose to, sir.”
In another interview, he said that he started waving the flag at the same time the other banners were being waved. He also revealed that Kendrick Lamar didn’t know about the 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,” he said.
Zül-Qarnian Nantambu was part of a 400-member cast who performed with Lamar on Sunday. The following day, the NFL released a statement revealing that no one was aware that the protest was going to happen.
The protester also sent a message to Trump about being kinder toward the Sudanese and Palestinians. “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.”