Sydney, Australia – An incident involving Taylor Swift’s father, Scott Swift, is under investigation by New South Wales police after an Australian photographer accused him of punching him in the face. The alleged altercation occurred as the pop star and her entourage were disembarking a yacht at a wharf in the Sydney area.
The reported assault took place early Tuesday morning following Taylor Swift’s final concert in the city as part of her worldwide “Eras” tour. While police have not confirmed the names of those involved, the incident has garnered attention from various media outlets.
According to reports, a video shown on Australian media captured the moment when Taylor and her father were walking towards a car. In the video, Taylor is seen hiding her face under an umbrella while her father briefly gestures with his middle finger.
Photographer Ben McDonald claimed that a security guard initially used an umbrella to deter him from taking photos, and an older man, allegedly Scott Swift, then proceeded to punch him as Taylor entered the car.
Taylor’s spokesperson, Tree Paine, released a statement refuting McDonald’s account and accusing him and another photographer of aggressive behavior towards Taylor and her security team. The statement claimed that the photographers had threatened a female staff member and behaved inappropriately.
Despite the incident, Scott Swift, known affectionately as “Papa Swift” to many of Taylor’s fans, left Australia with his daughter as originally planned. Scott has been praised for his public acts of kindness, such as handing out sandwiches to fans at a previous concert in Sydney.
The “Eras” tour, which has broken records as the highest-grossing music tour of all time, will continue in Singapore following the incident in Sydney. Taylor Swift has become the first artist to surpass $1 billion in revenue from a single tour, solidifying her status as a powerhouse in the music industry.