The NFL has revealed that the Palestinian protester who produced a flag emblazoned with “Gaza” and “Sudan” during the Super Bowl halftime show was a dancer hired to perform at the event.
During Kendrick Lamar’s halftime performance, one of the estimated 400 dancers climbed on top of a car with a flag that combines the Sudanese and Palestinian colors.
Protester unfurls Palestinian flag during halftime show. Apprehended and taken away.
— Armando Salguero (@ArmandoSalguero) February 10, 2025
pic.twitter.com/uXlsO0LeQN
Security chased the dancer-turned-protester off the car, and he eventually jumped onto the field, where other security officers apprehended him.
The NFL denies they had any knowledge of the dancer’s intentions.
“The individual hid the item on his person and unveiled it late in the show,” the league’s statement read. “No one involved with the production was aware of the individual’s intent.”
Roc Nation, who produced the halftime show, also denies any foreknowledge of the protest, saying the protest “was neither planned nor part of the production and was never in any rehearsal.”
Fans learned of the protest primarily through social media posts. The cameras did not pick up the event, and it did not disrupt the halftime show.
