Why Gaza and Sudan flags took over the Super Bowl halftime stage?
A performer at Lamar's Super Bowl halftime show protested by displaying a flag representing Sudan and Gaza, leading to their detention and lifetime NFL ban.
A performer during Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show sparked a protest by unfurling a flag symbolising both Sudan and the Gaza Strip. This act, drawing attention to two of the Middle East’s most devastating conflicts, was met with instant action from security, who detained the performer shortly after the incident.
While the individual’s identity remains undisclosed, authorities have confirmed that they will face a lifetime ban from NFL events. The company behind the halftime show clarified that this protest was not part of the planned performance.
What’s happening in Gaza?
The Gaza Strip, a densely populated Palestinian enclave bordered by Israel and Egypt, has long been a point of tension. The current conflict erupted in 2023 when Hamas, the militant group governing Gaza, launched an assault on Israel, killing over 1,000 people and taking several hostages. In retaliation, Israel initiated a fierce air and ground campaign, resulting in over 47,000 Palestinian deaths. Although a ceasefire has been in place since January 2025, fears persist about its sustainability.
The Gaza Strip remains central to the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with Palestinians seeking the region as part of a future state with east Jerusalem as its capital. However, the two-state solution remains a deeply divisive issue, and peace prospects are uncertain. Global responses vary, with figures like former President Donald Trump stirring controversy by suggesting U.S. ownership of Gaza.
What’s Happening in Sudan?
Sudan, located in East Africa, has been embroiled in conflict since 2019, when a popular uprising ousted longtime dictator Omar al-Bashir. A fragile transition to democracy was shattered in 2021 by a military coup led by Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan and Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). In 2023, the RSF and Sudanese military began fighting, resulting in the deaths of over 28,000 people and the displacement of millions. As famine ravages the country, civilian casualties continue to mount.
Recent military actions have intensified, with Burhan's forces retaking critical territory. International observers, including the United Nations, have called for immediate ceasefire and protection of civilians, but the outlook remains grim.
Both conflicts have caught the attention of activists and celebrities, linking the devastations of Gaza and Sudan. In August 2024, rapper Macklemore canceled a concert in Dubai, citing the UAE’s role in Sudan’s crisis and its alleged support for the RSF. He expressed solidarity with Palestinians, even dedicating a song to a young girl killed in Gaza.
The protest at the Super Bowl halftime show, though brief, is part of a larger movement to raise awareness about the atrocities unfolding in Gaza and Sudan, drawing attention from both the global public and popular culture.