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Dubai turns back 'horned' man with many piercings

Dubai, August 18, 2014

A heavily tattooed German man, whose face is embellished with horn implants and more than 100 piercings, said 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 Dubai, where a carefully cultivated reputation for tolerance and cutting-edge cosmopolitanism occasionally clashes with the region's conservative Islamic values, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

Rolf Buchholz, 55, was travelling 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 he was stopped again before he was able to exit customs. He soon found himself in a room with other deportees.

The club said 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 never got an official answer. They are friendly but nobody answers your questions,' he said.

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. - TradeArabia News Service




Tags: Dubai | German | Man |

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