A photographer told police he was punched in the face by Taylor Swift’s father on the Sydney waterfront on Tuesday, hours after the pop star’s Australian tour ended.
Ben McDonald said he provided police with a statement alleging that Scott Swift assaulted him at the Neutral Bay Wharf, where the father and daughter had just come ashore from a yacht.
The veteran paparazzo said he decided to report the attack to police despite not being seriously injured.
“It was just a punch in the chops. It’s a little tender, but I don’t have any bruising and it didn’t require medical assistance,” McDonald said.
“In 23 years, I haven’t been assaulted and punched in the chops, particularly by the talent’s dad,” he added.
Taylor Swift’s representative accused members of the media of aggression during the interaction.
“Two individuals were aggressively pushing their way towards Taylor, grabbing at her security personnel, and threatening to throw a female staff member into the water,” the represetative said in an email.
The New South Wale Police Force media office confirmed that police were investigating the alleged assault of a 51-year-old man by a 71-year-old man at 2:30 a.m. Police did not release names, in accordance with their policy for such allegations.
Taylor Swift left the country on a private jet Tuesday, after more than 600,000 fans saw the Australian leg of her Eras Tour at seven Australian stadium concerts.
McDonald said media had been waiting to photograph the star as she walked with her entourage from a jetty to two waiting cars.
“There were about four or five security there and at one point, one of the American security started shoving his umbrella into me and my camera and then Taylor got in her car,” McDonald told The Associated Press.
“Someone else came running at me and punched me in the left side of my face. Initially, I thought it was an Australian security that was trying to be the hero of the moment in the front of the Americans, but as it turned out it was her father,” McDonald added.
McDonald said he realized that his alleged assailant was not a part of the security detail after seeing a photo of him holding Swift’s hand while reviewing photos from the evening. McDonald later identified Scott Swift from an online picture.
McDonald said there had been no cause for violence.
“We didn’t go rushing down the jetty. We didn’t go rushing to the back of the boat. We waited for her to come up. Kept it very civil,” he said.
“But no, they had to be (expletives) and put the umbrellas up and umbrellas over her and then shove the umbrellas into our faces and then make out that we’re the ones making contact with them,” he added.
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Swift coming off a yacht then flying on her private jet. These asshole elite are such fn hypocrites
Why? Is Taylor a warrior for reduction of carbon dioxide emissions ?….here I thought she was just a very talented singer and songwriter that can not keep her schedule or safety flying commercial. She is elite because she is talented and works for it…NOT because she inherited from Daddy
How is she any different from Elvis, or the Rolling Stones or from a talentless malevolent psychopath like Trump. I am sure if you had the money, you be flying private planes as well.
A hypocrite is when you preach one thing and do the opposite…..like when you claim to support our armed forces BUT in reality you fake injuries to not serve and disparage war heroes and veterans…like Trump did.
We live in very trying times when a famous or important person must keep a constant security detail to keep psychos, intrusive fans and photographers away.
Some people need to get a life. I like Taylor’s music and she is eye candy, but I would not be paying hundreds to see her in person OR really care much about her personal life. Wish her the best
Why don’t you just SHUT YOUR MOUTH about President Trump! You idiot, he’s the Best president that we ever had!!
German the fascist brain washed moron is a Biden surrogate