LORD BUFFALO Forced to Cancel European Tour After Drummer Yamal Said Detained by CBP

This week saw Lord Buffalo thrust into headlines after drummer Yamal Said was forcibly detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) while boarding a flight at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. The band was preparing to fly to Europe to kick off a tour, which has now been canceled due to the incident.

In a statement released on May 13th, the band shared the following:

“We are heartbroken to announce we have to cancel our upcoming European tour. Our drummer, who is a Mexican citizen and lawful permanent resident of the United States (green card holder), was forcibly removed from our flight to Europe by Customs and Border Patrol at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport on Monday, May 12.

He has not been released, and we have been unable to contact him. We are currently working with an immigration lawyer to find out more information and to attempt to secure his release. We are devastated to cancel this tour, but we are focusing all of our energy and resources on Yamal’s safety and freedom.

We are hopeful that this is a temporary setback and that it could be safe for us to reschedule this tour in the future. In our absence, our touring partners @orsakoslo will continue to perform the tour. We urge everyone to go see this amazing band and support them over the next couple weeks.”

The band followed up with an update thanking fans for their support, adding that legal representation had been secured for Said but they still lacked details:

“We truly don’t know what’s going on. We have more questions than answers, but we will keep you posted as much as we can. At this time, the family asks for privacy as they navigate the situation.”

the band was unaware of the nature of the detainment when they initially addressed the situation publicly.

A revised statement was issued the following day, replacing earlier posts:

“We appreciate the tremendous outpouring of support from y’all today. We still know very little about the situation, but we have been asked by our drummer’s family and his legal team to respect their privacy while this situation evolves. We intend to do so, and we send all our love their way. We’ll share updates from the family when we can. Thanks again for everyone’s support. — LB”

Now, new details have emerged via Austin news outlet KUT, who report that a CBP spokesperson confirmed on May 14th that Yamal Said’s detainment stems from an active arrest warrant. According to KUT, CBP has since turned Said over to local law enforcement.

Their report cites online jail records indicating that Said is currently being held in a Tarrant County jail for allegedly violating a protective order, also known as a restraining order, on at least two occasions within the past year. In Texas, this charge is considered a felony, and a conviction could carry a sentence of at least two years in prison. The warrant was reportedly issued by the Llano County Sheriff’s Office.

KUT stated they reached out to Lord Buffalo for comment regarding the new developments but were told the band had no comment at this time. As their earlier posts indicated,

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