Super Bowl Protester Tied to Antonio Brown Shooting Identified, Arrested After Halftime Stunt

The man who waved a Palestinian flag during Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl LIX halftime show has been identified as Zul-Qarnain Kwame Nantambu—also the alleged victim in an ongoing attempted murder case involving former NFL wide receiver Antonio Brown.

Nantambu, who was arrested Thursday for resisting an officer and disturbing the peace, now finds himself at the center of two high-profile incidents. The first occurred during the Super Bowl halftime show in February, where he defied protocol to stage a political protest. The second involves a shooting outside a Miami boxing event in May, where Nantambu claims Brown fired a shot that grazed his neck.

Authorities confirmed that Nantambu had been granted permission to be on the field as a backup performer during Lamar’s halftime set. However, Louisiana State Police emphasized that he was not authorized to demonstrate in any way. The 30-year-old activist used the moment to display solidarity with Palestine and Sudan, climbing atop a prop car and waving a Palestinian flag before running onto the field.

“In coordination with the National Football League, troopers learned that Nantambu had permission to be on the field during the performance but did not have permission to demonstrate as he did,” said a spokesperson for the Louisiana State Police.

Though the protest did not appear to result in violence, Nantambu’s name resurfaced in connection with a much more serious matter just months later.

According to The Associated Press, Nantambu told investigators that he was shot at by Brown on May 16 outside a boxing event in Miami’s Little Haiti neighborhood. The Miami Police Department said it responded to reports of gunfire around 3 a.m. the following day. While no arrests were made on the scene, Brown has since been charged with attempted murder involving a firearm. A warrant for his arrest was issued in Miami-Dade County, requiring him to post a $10,000 bond and remain under house arrest pending trial.

Video footage from that night appears to show Brown in a physical altercation in a parking lot as a crowd gathered nearby. A single gunshot is then heard in the footage, causing chaos and sending spectators fleeing. Brown was later seen being led away in handcuffs.

The former NFL star and Super Bowl champion has denied any wrongdoing and claimed self-defense, casting Nantambu as a malicious agitator with a history of criminal behavior. In a statement posted to X (formerly Twitter), Brown alleged that Nantambu previously stole jewelry from him in 2022 and attempted to assault him at a 2023 Rolling Loud performance.

“That guy is a fraud, liar, stalker & criminal,” Brown wrote. “Then in May he snuck into a gate at the event and came right up to me trying to steal from me and threaten my life. Media hasn’t told this story yet… instead painting a false picture of me. That night I was fighting for my life with his intentions.”

Despite Brown’s claims, the official narrative emerging from law enforcement indicates that the investigation is focused on Brown’s use of a firearm during the altercation. Whether or not Nantambu’s prior encounters with Brown will weigh into the legal outcome remains to be seen.

Complicating matters further is the politically charged backdrop of both incidents. Nantambu’s Super Bowl protest came during a time of heightened U.S. involvement in Middle Eastern affairs, with then-President Donald Trump notably attending the game—the first sitting president to do so. At the time, Trump had suggested the possibility of the United States asserting a “long-term ownership position” in Gaza, adding fuel to an already polarized debate over America’s foreign policy in the region.

“I do see a long-term ownership position, and I see it bringing great stability to that part of the Middle East and maybe the entire Middle East,” Trump said, defending his controversial stance.

Nantambu’s protest occurred during Lamar’s performance of “tv off,” a track that has drawn attention for its themes of surveillance, conflict, and identity. His act of dissent drew a mix of praise and criticism, though few anticipated that the same man would be involved in a high-profile criminal case just weeks later.

While the legal proceedings against Brown are just beginning, Nantambu’s arrest for his Super Bowl protest signals that authorities are taking a strict stance against unauthorized demonstrations on such massive stages. Meanwhile, Brown’s legal team is expected to mount a vigorous defense as the case moves through the Miami-Dade judicial system.

With both figures under intense public and legal scrutiny, their entanglement raises broader questions about celebrity, activism, and accountability in America’s media and legal landscape.

Whether this incident will have lasting implications for how public protests are handled at major events—or for Brown’s already troubled public image—remains to be seen. But for now, both men are facing very different but deeply consequential challenges