A New Orleans man who turned Super Bowl LIX’s halftime show into a political stage show is now facing sentencing. A jury on Monday convicted 41-year-old Zul-Qarnain Kwame Nantambu of resisting a police officer after he bolted across the field and onto the Caesars Superdome stage during Kendrick Lamar’s Feb. 9, 2025 set, waving a Sudanese flag that read "Sudan and Free Gaza." The jury acquitted him on a separate charge of disturbing the peace, and a judge has set sentencing for noon on June 1, according to the state attorney general’s office.
How the stunt unfolded
Louisiana State Police investigators said Nantambu, who had been hired as a background performer, "deviated from his assigned role" during the live show, unfurled the flag and ignored commands to stop before security and law enforcement brought him down on the field.
As reported by The Associated Press, troopers later secured an arrest warrant, and Nantambu surrendered on June 26, 2025, to face misdemeanor counts that included resisting an officer and disturbing the peace. After the disruption, the NFL said the man would be banned from future league games and events, according to AP coverage.
Verdict and next steps
The Louisiana attorney general’s office said the jury returned what prosecutors called a mixed verdict: guilty on resisting an officer and not guilty on the interruption-related charge. Sentencing is scheduled for June 1.
WWL-TV reported that Monday’s ruling caps a months-long investigation that began almost as soon as the Superdome stunt ended. Defense attorneys have not publicly said whether they plan to challenge the conviction, so for now the case is barreling straight toward sentencing.
NFL and public safety
The Super Bowl’s security footprint at the Superdome involved multiple agencies, and the on-field protest quickly reignited questions about how closely organizers screen background performers at major live events. The NFL told reporters after Nantambu’s arrest that it takes disruptions seriously and would cooperate fully with investigators, according to reporting by The Associated Press.
What the charge carries in Louisiana
Under Louisiana law, the crime of resisting an officer can bring a fine of up to $500, up to six months in jail, or both. The statute is laid out in La. R.S. § 14:108, which is published in full on Justia.
Nantambu is due back in court on June 1, when a judge will decide what penalty to impose under that law or whether other measures are appropriate. The case highlights the tightrope that organizers, performers and security teams walk at high-profile live events, where a few seconds of unscripted drama can turn into a months-long legal saga.
