Taylor Swift‘s team say her father, Scott, allegedly punched an Australian photographer in the face following ‘threats to throw a female staff member into the water’.
Scott Swift, 71, is accused of striking Ben McDonald, 51, at a ferry wharf in the suburb of Neutral Bay after about 2.30am on Tuesday, after the Australian leg of her Eras tour wrapped up.
Taylor and Scott, affectionately known as Papa Swift, had travelled from Homebush on a luxury superyacht called Quantum.
Footage from the moments before the alleged altercation showed Scott walking up wharf while giving photographers the middle finger.
A spokeswoman for Taylor Swift told Daily Mail Australia the photographers were being ‘aggressive’.
‘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,’ she said.
However, Mr McDonald – the chief executive of Matrix Media Group – slammed the statement as ‘utter rubbish’ and said the only female at the scene was Taylor.
Taylor Swift is pictured during her Eras tour in Sydney on Friday night. She has now completed her tour of Australia
Police confirmed they were investigating claims Scott Swift, 71, allegedly assaulted a photographer. Taylor is pictured under the umbrella, next to her father Scott (right) last night
Mr McDonald said: ‘This is the sort of bulls**t I might expect.’
‘Which female was that? The only one there was Taylor.’
Mr McDonald said the altercation was caught on camera and did not show the photographers acting aggressively.
An investigation into the alleged incident has been launched by the North Shore Police Command.
Earlier on Tuesday, the photographer accused Scott of ‘charging’ at him once he was off the superyacht with Taylor.
He originally thought it was a security guard and was shocked when he realised the alleged attacker was the pop star’s dad.
Mr McDonald also said he didn’t know what triggered the alleged assault.
‘In 23 years of taking pictures, I have never seen anything like it,’ he said.
‘She got off the boat, she walked towards security guards who were shoving umbrellas in our faces.’
Footage of the alleged incident showed Taylor and her father walking up from the wharf with large umbrellas blocking the view.
Mr McDonald started shooting when a security guard could be heard telling him not to touch the umbrella.
Scott Swift is pictured holding Taylor’s hand at Neutral Bay wharf, on Sydney’s north shore, at about 3am on Tuesday
Matrix Media photographer Ben McDonald (pictured) was allegedly struck in the face by Taylor Swift’s father, Scott
Taylor Swift was spotted leaving Australia on her private jet on Tuesday (pictured, left)
The camera jolted and there was movement from behind the umbrella.
A security guard could be heard saying, ‘that wasn’t me, that wasn’t me’.
Mr McDonald asked: ‘Who was that?’
He then went to The Rocks police station and reported the alleged incident.
Mr McDonald did not require medical attention and does not believe he will have lasting injuries, but has ‘very sore chops’ on the left side of his face.
Taylor Swift and her entourage were seen leaving The Crown Hotel at Barangaroo in black SUVs just before 11am on Tuesday.
She then left the country in her private jet. Her next show is in Singapore on March 2.
Scott has been a fixture by his daughter’s side throughout her sold-out Eras tour.
He has been praised for handing out sandwiches to fans in the middle of a Sydney show, saying ‘help yourselves’.
The day before Taylor’s first show in Melbourne earlier this month, extra tickets were released but most had a limited view of the stage.
Scott walked around handing out VIP passes so excited fans would have access to better seats.
