The man who controversially waved a Palestinian flag during the Super Bowl LIX Apple Music Halftime Show has spoken publicly on the incident for the first time.

On Sunday night (February 9), while the show’s headliner, Kendrick Lamar, was near the conclusion of the show, fan participant Zül-Qarnaįn Nantambu wielded the flag and ran about with it on-field until approached by security. 

In a post-game interview with Al Jareeza on Monday (February 10), Nantambu spoke on his decision to brandish the flag, which caused him to be permanently banned from NFL games. Although Nantambu is not of Sudanese or Palestinian descent, he is Muslim and stated he’s a “humanitarian” who wanted to spread “awareness.”

“I wanted to show solidarity to those afflicted by this and their families and loved ones that they're being remembered here in America,” he said around the 2-minute mark of the video above.

As Kendrick utilized American flag representation throughout the show, Nantambu thought it was a “sign” that he showed his own. “I believe I was inspired by a Creator but [Kendrick] was confirmation, seeing him talking about the revolution being televised, him having scenes where the American flag is made in a human formation, him having his own company's flags flying around, I saw those all as signs for me to incorporate the flag,” he said.

Nantambu couldn’t care less about the NFL ban. “The risk of a ban? I was afraid I was gonna get sniped by a Secret Service’s bullet,” he said. “I can watch a football program on the television if I choose to, sir.”

One day after the Super Bowl, the NFL issued a statement apologizing for the incident and claiming that they were unaware that Nantambu was carrying the Palestinian flag.