Nicki Minaj's recent claims of racial discrimination during her arrest in Amsterdam have been firmly denied by Dutch authorities. The "Starships" rapper alleged that her detainment on May 25 was racially motivated, but Dutch police insist the arrest was routine and non-discriminatory.
According to NOS, the Amsterdam police issued a statement on May 30 clarifying the circumstances of Minaj's arrest.
The statement emphasized that the arrest was a standard procedure, prompted by the discovery of "dozens of joints" in her luggage. "It's annoying if she experienced it that way," a police representative said. "We arrested her when we found dozens of joints in her luggage. The lady was released four hours after arrest in consultation with the public prosecutor, and after paying a fine. I think that it all went very smoothly. It’s annoying that she drew that card.”A spokesperson for the Dutch police echoed this sentiment to the BBC, asserting their commitment to equality and professional conduct. "We just do our job, and it is protocol to search luggage and arrest a person when we find drugs," they explained.
"The arrest was around 5:30 p.m., the release at 9:30 p.m. We stand for a professional organization that treats everybody equal, no matter what.”Minaj was detained on suspicion of possessing soft drugs while en route to Manchester for her Pink Friday 2 Tour. She livestreamed the incident on social media, capturing a Royal Netherlands Marechaussee officer informing her of the arrest for "carrying drugs."
Following her release, Minaj expressed her frustration on the livestream platform Stationhead, describing the experience as "disgusting" and hinting that racial bias played a role. “Not being able to get to Manchester, I don’t know when was the last time I felt that low,” she said, lamenting the canceled UK show.
She further criticized the Dutch authorities' behavior, suggesting that one female officer was the only person who showed empathy.Minaj also accused Dutch officials of misrepresenting the timeline of her release in their press statement, indicating that she was still detained when the announcement was made.
Despite the controversy, Dutch police maintain that the arrest and subsequent actions were conducted according to protocol, underscoring their stance on equality and professionalism in law enforcement.
