Taylor Swift's dad, Scott, accused of punching photographer in Australia
FILE - Brittany Mahomes (back row 2nd L), Taylor Swift, and Scott Swift cheer while watching the game between the Kansas City Chiefs and New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on Dec. 17, 2023, in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Kathryn Riley/Get
MELBOURNE, Australia - Taylor Swift’s dad, Scott, was accused of punching paparazzi in the face in Sydney on Tuesday, just hours after the superstar’s Australian tour came to an end.
Ben McDonald, a 51-year-old veteran paparazzo, said he gave police 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.
McDonald 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 (L) and Scott Swift (R) are pictured in file images. (Photo by Graham Denholm/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management and Alo Ceballos/GC Images)
In response, a spokesperson for Taylor Swift accused members of the media of 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," the representative said in an email to the Associated Press.
The media office for the New South Wales Police Force 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. local time, but did not release names.
The alleged interaction came after Taylor Swift performed for more than 600,000 fans during the Australian leg of her Eras Tour during seven stadium concerts. The pop star left the country Tuesday on a private jet.
Someone ‘punched me in the left side of my face’
McDonald said the media had been waiting to photograph Taylor Swift 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 Taylor 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.
Scott Swift has attended many of his daughter's shows during her global tour. In November, Taylor famously changed the lyrics to her hit "Karma" for her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, who attended the show with Swift's dad.
Taylor Swift's next stop on her Eras Tour is on March 2 in Singapore.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.