Nicki Minaj released after arrest at Amsterdam airport

Nicki Minaj's planned concert at Co-op Live in Manchester has been canceled 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 journey, Dutch police said.

The artist was due to travel to Manchester for a concert on Saturday evening, which was later cancelled.

Organizers Live Nation said: “Nicki Minaj's planned performance at Co-op Live in Manchester on Saturday May 25 has been postponed.”

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

“Despite Nicki's best efforts to explore every possible avenue for tonight's show to take place, today's events have made this impossible. We are deeply disappointed by the inconvenience this has caused.”

Fans were informed of the postponement just after 9.30pm BST – around the time she was supposed to take the stage and more than two hours after the doors opened.

There were a few boos in the arena after the announcement before everyone filed out.

“I'm disappointed because I saw this afternoon that Nicki Minaj had been arrested in Amsterdam,” said Kian Young, 23, from Scunthorpe.

“So I don't understand why the cooperative arena hasn't spoken to their fans. Why didn't they cancel it at 5:00 p.m.?

“Everyone came, my wife is crying. Why not tell us it's canceled before bringing us in?

Olivia Gibson, 21, from Newcastle, said she is now an “old fan”, and Minaj has a habit of being late and should have given her more time to travel.

“I am appalled. But in a way, I’m not shocked either,” she said.

“And it’s not Co-op Live’s fault. It's Nicki Minaj's fault. She just let all her fans down.

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're under arrest.”

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

“They took my luggage without my consent,” she wrote in one of them. In another, she added: “It's Amsterdam, by the way.” [by the way]where weed is legal,” using a colloquial term for the drug cannabis.

It is technically illegal to possess, sell or produce drugs in the Netherlands. But the country has a policy of tolerance towards the sale or possession of small quantities of certain drugs.

The BBC has contacted Minaj's representatives for comment.