Taylor Swift's Dad Under Investigation for Alleged Assault in Australia
Editor’s Note: Our readers responded strongly to this story when it originally ran; we’re reposting it here in case you missed it.
Taylor Swift’s father was under investigation for allegedly roughing up a photographer after the pop icon finished her final performance in Sydney on Feb. 26.
Swift’s camp did not deny the incident as much as say it was deserved.
“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,” a representative said in a statement, according to ABC News.
Sorting that out will be the job of police in New South Wales, Australia, after photographer Ben McDonald filed a complaint about the incident early Feb. 27, according to TMZ.
“Police have been told a 71-year-old man allegedly assaulted a 51-year-old man at Neutral Bay Wharf about 2:30 am, before leaving the location,” police spokeswoman Alicia McCumstie said, according to AFP.
The U.K.’s Daily Mail reported that as the singer and her entourage approached a wharf where they would head to a luxury yacht for a post-concert party, Scott Swift extended his middle finger to the photographers as he passed them.
Video of the incident was shared on social media.
Taylor Swift’s dad Scott Swift attacked a photographer. pic.twitter.com/dw9dPhgKHG
— Catch Up (@CatchUpFeed) February 26, 2024
McDonald claims he was harassed by Swift’s security to prevent him from taking pictures. He said an older man then “took it further” after Swift departed.
“He punched me in the chops,” McDonald told AFP. “It was a shock. That’s never happened to me in 26 years.”
“I didn’t know who he was,” he said, thinking it was a security contractor “trying to impress the Americans.”
“But I looked at photos and saw him holding hands with Taylor, and it was her dad,” the photographer said.
McDonald said the Swift camp’s statement was “utter rubbish.”
He said the only woman nearby at the time was the singer.
Police later said Scott Swift “has left the country,” according to AFP.
It appeared that no charges had been filed against him as of Thursday morning.
The next stop on Swift’s global Eras Tour was Singapore, where she was set to play six dates starting March 2.
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