DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — A heavily tattooed
German man whose face is embellished with horn implants and more than
100 piercings said Sunday he was refused entry to Dubai without reason,
forcing him to skip a planned appearance at a nightclub.
His look
may have been a step too far for the Gulf's most liberal city, where a
carefully cultivated reputation for tolerance and cutting-edge
cosmopolitanism occasionally clashes with the region's conservative
Islamic values.
Rolf Buchholz, 55, was traveling to the Middle
Eastern commercial hub for the first time last week to appear at a
circus-themed venue that woos partygoers with over-the-top attractions
such as sword swallowers and burlesque dancers.
He told The
Associated Press that immigration agents initially stamped his passport
and let him through, but that he was stopped again before he was able to
exit customs. He soon found himself in a room with other deportees.
The
club said in an emailed statement that airport authorities cited
"security reasons" in denying him entry. Buchholz said airport workers
told him officials were concerned he could be a practitioner of black
magic, though authorities did not say so directly.
"I got never an official answer," he said. "They are friendly but nobody answers your questions."
In
addition to his body art and faux horns, Buchholz has a record 453
piercings, many of them on his face and genitals, according to Guinness
World Records.
Airport and immigration officials referred questions to the police, who could not be reached for comment.
Source: Yahoo News(AP)
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