Louisiana State Police arrested Zul-Qarnain Kwame Nantambu today, over four months after he protested the genocides in Gaza and Sudan during the NFL Super Bowl Halftime Show in a viral act viewed by millions around the world.
Weeks after the event, I spoke with Nantambu on my In Depth With Deon Podcast, where the 41-year-old New Orleans resident shared why he risked his freedom and potentially his life to speak up for Palestinian and Sudanese civilians struggling to survive genocide and crimes against humanity.
"I wanted to use more than just praying about it silently or privately, but to actually speak out or use my hands to bring awareness to it or hopefully bring an end to it,” he told me.
Nantambu, who was working legally as part of the NFL field team before diverting from his role during Kendrick Lamar’s performance, was never charged after the event. So, the biggest question racing through my mind as soon as I saw the news was: Why did LSP wait over four months to charge and arrest him?
Is arrest of anti-genocide Super Bowl protester politically motivated?
Nantambu faces charges of resisting an Officer and Disturbing the Peace by Interruption of a Lawful Assembly, according to a press release from LSP.
But we’ve seen how police lie on press releases (George Floyd / Tyre Nichols). So, let’s break this down line by line.
“The preliminary investigation revealed that during the halftime performance, a performer deviated from his assigned role, retrieved a Sudanese flag bearing the message “Sudan and Free Gaza,” and disrupted the halftime show by running across the field with the flag.”
That much is true. Not sure why it took an investigation and taxpayer dollars to report what millions of people saw live with their own eyes.
“Security and law enforcement personnel on site quickly recognized the unauthorized action and apprehended the performer after he refused to comply with their commands to stop.”
Images and video of Nantambu being tackled by police were clearly visible, but police declined to press charges. The only punishment the NFL handed down was a lifetime ban from all stadiums and NFL-affiliated events. Where was the urgency from Louisiana State Police in February?
For his part, Nantambu told me he wasn’t worried about a lifetime ban.
“That was the least of my concerns. It wasn’t even a concern. If anybody in hindsight knew—at least any Muslim or anybody with an inkling of compassion in their heart—knew that will be the punishment, we all should’ve been lining up to do it,” he said.
The LSP claims they identified Nantambu “through investigative means.” The man has been on Al Jazeera, The BBC and other national outlets. He’s also remained active on Instagram raising money for communities in Gaza and Sudan as the genocides against civilians continue unabated.
“An arrest warrant was subsequently obtained through the Orleans Parish Criminal District Court. On June 26, 2025, Nantambu surrendered himself through coordination with his attorney and was booked into the Orleans Parish Justice Center…”
Genocides in Gaza and Sudan continue
I’ve reached out to Louisiana State Police Public Affairs office for answers to how this “investigation” took place.
Here is the response I received today:
"While the New Orleans Police Department initially responded to the on-field disturbance during the Super Bowl halftime show, the Louisiana State Police assumed investigative responsibility shortly thereafter due to the nature of the incident and the performer’s unauthorized access to a highly secured area,"
"Thorough investigations take time, especially when they involve multiple agencies and high-profile events. A key part of this process included identifying and locating the suspect, who was out of the area for a period of time. Once contact was made and coordination established with his attorney, arrangements were made for the suspect to turn himself in.”
—LSP Public Affairs Sgt. Katharine “Kate” Stegall.
Notably, the U.S. government under former President Joe Biden declared a genocide in Sudan back in January 2025. The country is home to one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. The primarily Muslim Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have routinely massacred Indigenous civilian populations in Sudan in a bid to take power from the central government.
“The State Department’s announcement should be the first step toward redefining US policy in Sudan with accountability and civilian protection at the center. We hope to see more pressure from the United States on the parties to the conflict and US allies to respond to past and ongoing atrocities and human suffering,” Nicole Widdersheim, deputy Washington director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement.
Meanwhile, under both Presidents Biden and Trump the Israel Defense Forces have been allowed to repeatedly conduct an ongoing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza through American bombs paid for by our tax dollars.
Overall, more than 56,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed by Israeli government forces, though that number is expected to be a vast undercount as thousands remain trapped under rubble. Over 400 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli gunfire while trying to reach food distribution sites in recent days.
“We all should be suffering and feeling the pain of it and doing what we can to help and assist and bring attention to their strifes and their struggles,” Nantambu told me.
Watch my full interview with Nantambu:
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