Nicki Minaj released after arrest at Amsterdam airport

Nicki Minaj’s planned performance at the Co-op Live venue in Manchester has been cancelled following the American rapper’s arrest at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport.

Minaj was arrested on suspicion of exporting soft drugs before being fined and allowed to continue her trip, Dutch police said.

The artist was supposed to fly to Manchester for a concert on Saturday evening, but it was cancelled.

Promoter Live Nation said: “Nicki Minaj’s scheduled performance at the Co-op Live in Manchester on Saturday 25 May has been postponed.”

“Tickets remain valid for the new performance, which will be announced as soon as possible.

“Despite Nicki’s best efforts to explore every possible option to make tonight’s show possible, today’s events have made that impossible. We are deeply disappointed by the inconvenience this has caused.”

Minaj filmed part of her arrest and posted it on social media.

In the video, a police officer can apparently be heard telling Minaj: “You are under arrest.”

At Co-op Live on Saturday night, thousands of fans – many in their trademark pink – entered the venue in good spirits and hopeful that the show would go ahead.

One person started chanting: “Free Nicki Minaj!”

Fans Georgina Warde and Darcy Nicholls, both 18, travelled from Newcastle and had been looking forward to the show since buying their tickets in December.

“I really hope she comes,” Ms Nicholls said. “But it’s Nicki, so we knew there would be some delays.”

The music star posted a series of messages on X, apparently related to the incident.

“They took my luggage without my consent,” she wrote in one. In another, she added: “By the way, this is Amsterdam, where weed is legal,” using a slang term for the drug cannabis.

In the Netherlands, possession, sale or production of drugs is strictly illegal. However, the country has a policy of tolerance towards the sale or possession of small quantities of certain drugs.

The BBC has contacted Minaj’s representative for comment.