Taylor Swift’s Father Accused of Assaulting Photographer in Australia
A paparazzo has accused Taylor Swift’s father of punching him in the face at a Sydney wharf early on Tuesday morning. The incident took place as the pop star and her father were leaving a boat after a cruise on Sydney Harbour following her final concert of the Eras Tour.
Ben McDonald, a photographer with 23 years of experience, says he was at Neutral Bay Wharf around 2:30 am waiting for Taylor Swift. Her security team used umbrellas to block his view. McDonald did not provoke them. Suddenly, Taylor’s father, Scott Swift, hit him in the face. Then, Scott got into a car with his daughter.
Taylor Swift’s rep responds to TMZ report that her father Scott attacked a paparazzo in Australia:
“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.” PIC.TWITTER.COM/ZOMWDTKTZY
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) FEBRUARY 27, 2024
McDonald filed a police report and identified Scott Swift as the assailant using the photos he had taken. He also showed his bruised face and bloodied shirt to the media. He said he was shocked and hurt by the incident, and that he had never been assaulted in his career.
Taylor Swift’s spokesperson did not respond to the allegation. Instead, they issued a statement. The statement said two unidentified people were aggressive toward Taylor Swift and her team at the wharf. It said these people grabbed security personnel and threatened a female staff member. The statement did not mention Scott Swift or the alleged assault.
The New South Wales Police are investigating the incident, but have not released any names officially due to policy. They have asked anyone with information or footage of the incident to come forward.
TMZ, a website that reports on celebrities, got a video of the incident. The video is unclear because people have umbrellas blocking the view. The footage shows a scuffle between some people at the wharf, but does not clearly show who punched whom.
The incident made people wonder about Taylor Swift’s security team, the Australian paparazzi, and the legal issues. Taylor Swift has a tough security team that has clashed with paparazzi and fans before. Australian paparazzi are known for being aggressive, especially with international stars. The legal consequences of the incident will depend on whether Scott Swift acted in self-defense or committed an assault. It will also consider if McDonald had the right to take photos of Taylor Swift in public.
The incident shows how important it is to get both sides of the story. It’s also crucial to have complete, unedited footage of the incident. This helps us better understand what happened. Until then, the presumption of innocence applies to Scott Swift, who is under investigation but not charged with any crime.
