At the Super Bowl LIX halftime show, everything was going well while rapper Kendrick Lamar performed at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans until one of the field performers/dancers broke from the choreography. Zul-Qarnain Kwame Nantambu climbed onto a stage prop car, with 65,000 fans in the stadium and millions on television watching him, and raised a protest flag that read: “Sudan” and “Free Gaza.”

The flag referenced the humanitarian crises and wars in Sudan and Gaza. According to authorities, he had permission to be on the field as a performer, but not to stage a political protest. After displaying the flag, he ran across the field before security and Louisiana State Police tackled and detained him. Police later said Nantambu had “deviated from his assigned role” after allegedly hiding the flag on his person before unveiling it during Lamar’s performance of “TV Off” alongside producer Mustard. Now, more than a year after the incident, the 41-year-old has been found guilty of the action, and he is set to be jailed.

“We appreciate the chief judge’s careful consideration of the evidence and the decision to hold this individual accountable for resisting law enforcement officers who work every day to protect our communities,” said Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill in a recent statement.

Originally, he also faced charges for disturbing the peace/interruption of a lawful assembly, but Chief Judge Juana Marine-Lombard ultimately found Nantambu guilty only on the misdemeanor resisting charge. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 1 and could face up to six months in prison along with a $500 fine under Louisiana law.

The case itself evolved significantly after the night of the Super Bowl. Initially, New Orleans police had stated that the performer would not face charges following his removal from the field. However, Louisiana State Police later took over the investigation “due to the nature of the incident, and the performer’s access to a highly secured area.” Nantambu eventually surrendered himself after an arrest warrant was issued.

So, the legal issue became more about allegedly resisting police/security, disrupting a tightly controlled live event, and causing a security breach at the Super Bowl, rather than simply holding a political opinion.

The NFL and Roc Nation also distanced the halftime production from the protest after the incident drew national attention. “No one involved with the production was aware of the individual’s intent,” NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy previously said, while Roc Nation stated the act “was neither planned nor part of the production and was never in any rehearsal.” Nantambu himself later claimed Kendrick Lamar had no prior knowledge of the demonstration and said he intended to “show solidarity with the people” affected by the conflicts. “We have a life of luxury in comparison to what they’re going through,” he reportedly told the Daily Mail after the game.

As a result of his action, the 41-year-old has also received a lifetime ban from the National Football League. He is prohibited from entering an NFL stadium as an employee, fan, or performer. Besides this controversy, he was also involved in another legal issue with an NFL star.

Zul-Qarnain Kwame was involved in a shooting incident with NFL star Antonio Brown