A man who was part of Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl halftime show was stopped by security after waving a Palestinian flag with the word "Gaza" written in black on it. He also waved the Sudanese flag.
The incident occurred during Lamar's final song of the show. The protester held the flags while standing on a black Grand National car that was part of the show. He then jumped off the stage and ran around the field for about 20 seconds before being stopped by security. After the lights came back on, he was escorted out of the stadium.
2 View gallery
Security officials wrestle the protester to the ground on the field of the Super Dome
(Photo: Chandan Khanna / AFP)
The NFL said the protester, who was dressed in black like the other dancers who performed alongside Lamar on the field of the Superdome in New Orleans, was part of the 400-person show crew. "We would like to commend security for quickly identifying the individual and apprehending him," the NFL said in a statement. "He hid the flags in his pocket and only took them out later during the show. No one involved in the production was aware of his intentions."
A representative for Roc Nation, which produced the show, said that "the individual's act was not planned, was not part of the production, and was not included in any rehearsal."
2 View gallery
The protester onstage at the Super Bowl half-time performance
(Photo: Chandan Khanna / AFP)
Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play: https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store: https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv
The incident came a few hours after U.S. President Donald Trump declared that he was committed to "buying Gaza and owning it," and even "giving parts of it to other countries in the Middle East to rehabilitate it." The president added that "we will make Gaza a good site for future development," and noted that he would work to change the reality in the Strip.