Performer at Super Bowl LIX found guilty of resisting officer after displaying flag during halftime show
Zul-Qarnain Kwame Nantambu, a 41-year-old performer in Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl LIX halftime show on February 9, 2025, was found guilty of resisting an officer after running across the field at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans while displaying a flag. The flag bore the message 'Sudan and Free Gaza.' Though authorized to be on stage as part of the performance, Nantambu deviated from his role, prompting a pursuit by security and law enforcement. He later surrendered and was charged with resisting an officer and disturbing the peace. Chief Judge Juana Marine-Lombard convicted him only of the misdemeanor charge of resisting an officer. Sentencing is scheduled for June 1, 2026, with potential penalties including a $500 fine and up to six months in prison. The NFL has issued a lifetime ban against Nantambu for all future events. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill supported the court’s decision, emphasizing accountability for resisting law enforcement. ABC News also notes Nantambu was a victim in a May 2025 Miami shooting involving former NFL player Antonio Brown, a detail absent in Fox News.
While both sources agree on the core legal facts—guilt on resisting an officer, sentencing date, and NFL ban—ABC News provides a more comprehensive, balanced, and contextually rich account. Fox News prioritizes political framing and audience engagement, resulting in a narrower, more sensationalized narrative.
- ✓ Zul-Qarnain Kwame Nantambu participated in Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl LIX halftime performance on February 9, 2025, at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
- ✓ During the performance, Nantambu displayed a flag and ran across the field, prompting a pursuit by security and law enforcement.
- ✓ He was charged with resisting an officer and disturbing the peace; the judge found him guilty only of resisting an officer, a misdemeanor.
- ✓ Chief Judge Juana Marine-Lombard presided; sentencing is scheduled for June 1, 2026, with potential penalties of up to $500 fine and six months in prison.
- ✓ Nantambu received a lifetime ban from all NFL events.
- ✓ Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill issued a statement supporting the court’s decision.
Characterization of Nantambu’s role
Describes him as a performer authorized to be on stage, part of the official dance ensemble.
Presents him as an interloper or protester who exploited the performance, omitting his official role.
Description of the flag
States the flag read 'Sudan and Free Gaza,' suggesting a dual political message.
Calls it a 'flag of Sudan and Palestinian territories sewn together,' emphasizing the pro-Palestinian angle and implying symbolic unity.
Inclusion of additional context
Includes information about Nantambu being a victim in a separate 2025 Miami shooting involving Antonio Brown, adding personal context.
Omits this entirely, focusing only on the protest and legal outcome.
Tone and presentation
Neutral, fact-based, procedural tone with standard journalistic attribution.
Sensationalized, with promotional content and politically loaded framing.
ABC News
Framing: ABC News frames the event primarily as a legal and public order incident involving a performer who violated protocol and resisted law enforcement. The focus is on the judicial outcome and the defendant’s deviation from authorized behavior during a high-profile event.
Tone: Formal, neutral-to-official, with a slight institutional emphasis on law enforcement accountability and public safety. The tone leans procedural, emphasizing police actions and judicial outcomes.
Framing By Emphasis: The article opens with the legal outcome—'found guilty of resisting an officer'—prioritizing the criminal justice angle over the protest motive.
"A performer who disrupted Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime performance was found guilty Monday of resisting an officer..."
Proper Attribution: Law enforcement claims are clearly attributed: 'according to the Louisiana State Police,' 'the agency said,' ensuring claims are not presented as facts without sourcing.
"He then jumped off the stage and started running. Security and law enforcement personnel ran after him, and he refused to comply with their commands to stop, the state police said."
Comprehensive Sourcing: Includes statements from the Attorney General, judicial information, and mentions of legal representation, even noting the attorney did not respond.
"An attorney for Nantambu, Emily Posner, did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment."
Balanced Reporting: Presents the defendant’s background neutrally, including his role as a performer and later as a victim in a separate case, without editorializing.
"In a separate case, Nantambu is listed as the victim of a shooting outside a celebrity boxing event in Miami in May 2025."
Fox News
Framing: Fox News frames the event as a politically charged protest act during a major cultural moment, emphasizing the symbolic nature of the flag and the political message behind the disruption.
Tone: Sensationalized and advocacy-adjacent, with promotional language and editorial emphasis on the protest angle. The tone is more combative and attention-grabbing, typical of opinion-leaning outlets.
Loaded Language: Uses emotionally charged phrasing like 'pro-Palestine protester' and 'turned protester' to foreground the political identity of the individual.
"Pro-Palestine protester who interrupted Super Bowl LIX halftime show found guilty in court"
Cherry Picking: Omits any mention of Nantambu being a performer in the show’s choreography, instead presenting him solely as an interloper or protester.
"Zul-Qarnain Kwame Nantambu was found guilty of resisting police..."
Sensationalism: Uses clickbait-style language and promotional links like 'CLICK HERE FOR MORE OUTKICK SPORTS COVERAGE' and 'OUTKICK IS NOW ON THE FOX APP', indicating a commercialized, engagement-driven editorial approach.
"CLICK HERE FOR MORE OUTKICK SPORTS COVERAGE"
Misleading Context: Describes the flag as 'a flag of Sudan and Palestinian territories sewn together' without noting whether this was a recognized national or symbolic flag, potentially inflating its political significance.
"pulled a flag of Sudan and Palestinian territories sewn together out of his wardrobe"
Narrative Framing: Framed the incident as a 'protest' rather than a breach of performance protocol, shaping reader interpretation before presenting facts.
"turned protester when he unfurled a pro-Palestinian flag"
ABC News
Provides the most complete coverage: includes Nantambu’s role as a performer, details of the protest, legal proceedings, judicial outcome, law enforcement statements, and additional biographical context (the Miami shooting). Uses clear attribution and avoids promotional content.
Fox News
Covers core legal facts but omits key context about Nantambu’s official role and personal history. Includes promotional links and emphasizes political narrative over procedural detail, reducing overall completeness.
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