DUBAI // The world’s most pierced man claims he was denied entry into the UAE because of his extreme facial jewellery and suspicion that he was involved in “black magic”.
“Those who escorted me back to the airplane said that it was because of the way I looked and that it was because I am [suspected of] black magic,” said Rolf Buchholz, who has 453 piercings on his body and has also had horns implanted into his head and magnets inserted into his fingertips
“I never got an official answer as to why I was not allowed to enter Dubai.”
He was due to perform at the Cirque Le Soir nightclub at Dubai’s Fairmont Hotel on Friday. The venue is known for booking extreme performance artists.
The German national, who holds the Guinness world record for the most piercings on a person’s body, said that he had no problem getting through passport control at Dubai International Airport, but was stopped at the checkpoint where passengers’ hand luggage is scanned.
“They took my passport as well as my hand luggage and asked me to go to an office where I asked about what is happening,” he said.
“They were friendly, but didn’t say anything and took me back to behind passport control. I got my hand luggage back but not my passport.”
Mr Buchholz said cabin crew kept his passport and boarding pass with them until he arrived back in Dusseldorf via Istanbul.
“I don’t know when they stamped on my passport that my visa into the UAE was cancelled. They took it, and I didn’t get it until I was back in Germany.
“The airport personnel escorting me back to the plane had a long discussion with other people on how they should take me back to the plane,” said Mr Buchholz.
“There were police at the plane, and I was not allowed to stop long enough so that people can see me. They told me that I should keep moving so that no one spots me.”
He also said that his luggage had been lost en route to Dubai and he had to leave without it.
“My luggage was lost and did not get to Dubai in the first place. I got a call that it is now in Dubai, and I have asked them to send it back to Germany,” said Mr Buchholz.
Mr Buchholz said he hoped to come back to Dubai if he can be assured entry.
“I hope I can enter Dubai again and meet all the people, but at the moment I don’t see when and how it can happen,” he said.
“I think if people were a little more tolerant, then the world would be a better place.
“I hope there is a change in Dubai and the whole world, so that everyone can live in peace.”
Mr Buchholz is scheduled to make an appearance in Norway at the end of the month.
The National was unable to contact airport security at Dubai International Airport for comment.
dmoukhallati@thenational.ae
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