NICKI Minaj has missed her Manchester show after being arrested in Amsterdam – leaving thousands of fans devastated inside the Co-Op Arena.
The rapper was due on stage at 10pm but cancelled at the last minute after she was quizzed by cops and streamed her own ‘arrest’ hours before.
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The American rapper’s show was thrown into chaos when she was ordered to get into a police van and questioned by Dutch cops over allegedly carrying drugs on a flight to England.
A tour announcement today read: “Despite Nicki’s best efforts to explore every possible avenue to make tonight’s show happen, the events of today have made it impossible.”
Dutch police said a 41-year-old woman was arrested after allegedly trying to take soft drugs from Schiphol Airport to another country.
A later update at around 9pm said: “We have just released a 41-year-old American woman who we arrested this afternoon at Schiphol on suspicion of exporting soft drugs.
“After consultation with the Public Prosecution Service, the suspect was fined and can continue her journey.”
The statement announcing her postponed performance told fans: “Nicki Minaj’s scheduled performance at Manchester’s Co-op Live on Saturday 25th May has been postponed.
“Tickets will remain valid for the rescheduled performance which will be announced ASAP.
“We are deeply disappointed by the inconvenience this has caused. More information will be available at your point of purchase.”
Minaj spent Saturday sharing her experience at the airport, which began when she claimed officials forced her to undergo additional luggage security screenings.
Nicki, 41, was arrested by police in The Netherlands on Saturday for allegedly “carrying drugs” with her on a flight to England, according to local news station NU.nl.
“At this moment, she is in custody,” said Robert van Kapel, a spokesperson for Royal Netherlands Marechaussee, the border police in charge of Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, told The Independent.
Despite denying that she was toting anything illegal, the singer was told she needed to report to the police station, according to a live video captured on her Instagram.
In the clip, a man tells the songwriter that she “will get a lawyer at the office” and that they need her to go “as fast as possible.”
Nicki explained to fans in her Instagram Live that airport officials told her to “get into this [police] van and go into the precinct with no lawyer present.”
The rapper also claimed that someone who worked for the Amsterdam Airport security team asked that she make a “statement with no lawyer present” after they found “pre-rolls in bags” that they were “not authorized to take.”
A rep for Nicki did not immediately respond to The U.S. Sun’s request for comment.
AIRPORT ALTERCATION
Earlier in the day, the Barbie World singer accused the Amsterdam Airport crew of trying to delay her travels to stop her from performing at her scheduled Gag City tour dates.
Nicki recorded employees as they forced her to return her bags to security for additional checks.
In the clip, shared on her Instagram profile, the rapper filmed a man who approached her vehicle to state a request from Amsterdam police.
The airline crew member, who appeared in a gray suit, white button-down shirt, and red tie, leaned into the black car.
Nicki Minaj accuses airline of ‘trying to sabotage’ 2024 tour over luggage issue in video of argument with crew member
Nicki asked the man to repeat himself for the camera, to which he replied, “The police officer told me we have to offload all the luggage and to search everything in your luggage.
“I’m so sorry to say that,” the airline rep added.
“But wasn’t that what you planned on doing from the get-go? Why didn’t you guys search it before it went on the plane?” the pop star asked in response.
“They did just a random quick check, but now they want to open it,” he replied.
“Why?” Nicki returned, to which the man responded with a shrug.
“First of all, because you filmed him,” he claimed, causing the rapper to reply, “Because I filmed him?”
“Yeah, he doesn’t believe you that you don’t have more with you than you say,” the Amsterdam Airport representative explained.
“No, he asked me ‘do I have any more in those purses’ and I said no, and I asked him where are my bags,” Nicki shot back.
She continued, “They took my bags and put them on the plane before I could know what bags are on the plane.”
But the man replied with another shrug, adding, “I’m so sorry for that.”
“Okay, of course,” Nicki replied before ending the video.
NICKI’S CLAIMS
The rapper captioned her post, “They’ve been trying to stop me from coming to every show.
“They took my bags before I could see them. Put it on the plane. Now saying, they’re waiting on customs,” she claimed.
Now they said I have to go 5 mins away to make a statement about my security to the police precinct.
Nicki Minaj
“This is what it looks like when ppl are paid big money to try to sabotage a tour after all else failed. Everything they’ve done is illegal.”
Fans filled the comments of the post with support for Nicki, who is currently traveling on her Gag City tour.
FAN SUPPORT
Many coined the phrase “Free Nicki,” while others begged the airport not to ” mess with the Queen.”
“Tell em they better cut it out asap,” one pleaded.
“’Because you filmed him. What a lame excuse,” a second claimed.
“The Barbz have got ya back. Keep pushing through and don’t let em ruin your day!” a third gushed.
“This is crazy!” a fourth raged.
“They should never have messed with The Queen!!!!!! You are The Queen!!!!!” a fifth supported.
“Absolutely appalling! I’m so sorry Onika that this is happy to you. We love you and got your back forever,” another wrote.
Before the reported arrest, Nicki was also rapidly posting on X, formerly Twitter, about her shocking experience at the Amsterdam Airport.
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