The Super Bowl halftime performer who held up a Sudanese-Palestine flag during Kendrick Lamar's halftime show will not face charges, New Orleans police said Monday. The NFL has said that the individual will receive a lifetime ban from NFL stadiums and events.
The performer was part of a large, 400-person cast for Lamar's halftime performance. Wearing the same black sweats as dozens of other dancers in the show, the performer stood on the trunk of a car on the set of the show and held up the flag. The protestor then jumped off the stage and across the field before being tackled by men in suits, and was later escorted out of the stadium by security.
The flag combined the flags of Sudan and Palestine, which are similar in construction. The words "Sudan" and "Gaza" were written on the flag with hearts, likely drawing attention to the humanitarian crises happening in both countries.
The NFL and Roc Nation, the entertainment company that runs the halftime show, confirmed Sunday that the flag was not part of the planned halftime show. The protestor hid the flag before unfurling it mid-performance, the league said, saying that "No one involved with the production was aware of the individual's intent."
