Man with 453 piercings - and two horn implants - refused entry to Dubai because officials thought he practised black magic
- Rolf Buchholz holds the Guinness World Record for the most piercings
- He has two implanted horns in his head along with 453 piercings
- Says airports officials barred him from the Gulf over black magic
A heavily tattooed German man whose face is embellished with hundreds of piercings and two horn implants was refused entry to Dubai - because officials thought he was a practitioner of black magic.
Rolf Buchholz, 55, who holds the Guinness World Record for having the most piercings, was travelling to Dubai for the first time last week to appear at a circus-themed venue alongside sword swallowers and burlesque dancers.
But he says he was barred from entering the conservative Islamic city by Emirate officials who were concerned he practised the dark arts.
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Scary: German Rolf Buchholz, 55, holds the Guinness World Record for the most piercings. But his appearance apparently put the wind up Dubai airport officials who barred him entry as they thought practised the dark arts
Mr Buchholz, who has 453 piercings, 278 of which are around his genitalia, had his passport stamped and approved at the airport, but was stopped before entering customs.
He later tweeted: 'The immigration thought I am black magic. Stupid people.' [sic] and conceded that his appearance may have had something to do with it.
'I have two horns. I think that was also a problem for me in Dubai,' he said.
As a result, the IT expert's scheduled appearance at the Cirque le Soir nightclub in Dubai's Fairmont Hotel on Friday was cancelled.
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The club opened in 2011 and promises a little bit of everything: 'Stilt walkers, midgets, contortionists, tattooed dancers, jugglers, drummers ... magicians and fire eaters,' according to its website.
Alcohol flows freely in Dubai bars and clubs, which are typically attached to hotels, and revellers dress just as chicly and skimpily as they would in the West.
But while Dubai is far more laid-back than nearby Saudi Arabia or Qatar, traditional Islamic values remain strong, particularly among members of the local population who are far outnumbered by foreign residents.
Mr Buchholz was due to perform at the Cirque le Soir nightclub before he was barred entry to the Islamic city
Actions deemed insulting to local values, including public displays of affection, public intoxication and disrespect for religion, can lead to fines and jail time.
Jad Lahoud, the executive director of Pragma Lifestyle, the company that runs the Dubai branch of the club, said in a statement that it was 'a shame that Rolf couldn't join us this time.'
'Cirque le Soir Dubai always strives to bring unique entertainment and concepts to the UAE, however we will always act in line with the laws that govern this nation,' he added.
Buchholz tweeted shortly after he was ordered to leave that he would never come back to Dubai.
But by Sunday, he seemed to be reconsidering. He said he would be happy to return if he had government assurance he'd be let in.
Rolf Buchholz, who has 453 piercings and two horns, said he hoped he would be let into Dubai in the future
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