After delivering her debut LP This Trip last week, Petra Glynt (a.k.a. Alexandra Mackenzie) was set to round out her October by kicking off a European tour with string of live dates in the UK. However, visa issues led to the artist being denied entry and detained in the UK for over two days.
UPDATE (11/1, 2:10 p.m. EDT): Petra Glynt has launched a GoFundMe campaign to return to Europe to complete her tour. You can find the campaign page here.
As she detailed in an Instagram post, Mackenzie "was detained for 51 hours split between the holding detention room at the airport and the high security Colnbrook Immigration Removal Center" after being denied entry, adding that staff told her the latter location "'was not a prison' but was indeed a detention center for both long and short term holdings."
Mackenzie described her experience as follows:
[Colnbrook Immigration Removal Center] was guarded by tall fences and thick gates with barbed wire at the top, and barred windows. Some people are there for indefinite amounts of time and even apply for employment there. I was in a women's unit. I shared a room with two sweet women from Grenada. The day was structured into time slots/ a routine with lockdown in our rooms between 1-2 and breaks to go outside for fresh air. I hope all the girls get home safe. Meeting them was the silver lining of this whole ordeal. It was humbling hearing their stories. I had no rights but felt my white privilege more than ever before. They disallowed use of our phones and took our property. I kept a journal. It was hell.
"I'm still not entirely sure what happened. It was confusing," she continued in the comments. "The officials were even saying different things and I felt confused whether I was doing the correct procedures. But ultimately it was due to a discrepancy with my PPE visa. But I also think I just came through on a bad day!? My immigration officer also felt impatient. I can still come back, and I will but next time I will likely take a different route."
Mackenzie confirmed in the post that all of her UK dates have been cancelled.
"I am so sorry for those who came to see me — I will make it up to you," she wrote. "On my way home now will sleep for one full day then figure out how to get back and do this tour — it is important to me. The show will go on."
Find her full post below.
This Trip is out now through Vibe Over Method.
UPDATE (11/1, 2:10 p.m. EDT): Petra Glynt has launched a GoFundMe campaign to return to Europe to complete her tour. You can find the campaign page here.
As she detailed in an Instagram post, Mackenzie "was detained for 51 hours split between the holding detention room at the airport and the high security Colnbrook Immigration Removal Center" after being denied entry, adding that staff told her the latter location "'was not a prison' but was indeed a detention center for both long and short term holdings."
Mackenzie described her experience as follows:
[Colnbrook Immigration Removal Center] was guarded by tall fences and thick gates with barbed wire at the top, and barred windows. Some people are there for indefinite amounts of time and even apply for employment there. I was in a women's unit. I shared a room with two sweet women from Grenada. The day was structured into time slots/ a routine with lockdown in our rooms between 1-2 and breaks to go outside for fresh air. I hope all the girls get home safe. Meeting them was the silver lining of this whole ordeal. It was humbling hearing their stories. I had no rights but felt my white privilege more than ever before. They disallowed use of our phones and took our property. I kept a journal. It was hell.
"I'm still not entirely sure what happened. It was confusing," she continued in the comments. "The officials were even saying different things and I felt confused whether I was doing the correct procedures. But ultimately it was due to a discrepancy with my PPE visa. But I also think I just came through on a bad day!? My immigration officer also felt impatient. I can still come back, and I will but next time I will likely take a different route."
Mackenzie confirmed in the post that all of her UK dates have been cancelled.
"I am so sorry for those who came to see me — I will make it up to you," she wrote. "On my way home now will sleep for one full day then figure out how to get back and do this tour — it is important to me. The show will go on."
Find her full post below.
This Trip is out now through Vibe Over Method.