Australian police are looking into allegations that during the early hours of Tuesday morning, while Taylor Swift and her entourage were getting off a superyacht, her father attacked a photographer.
According to police spokeswoman Alicia McCumstie, “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.”
“The younger man reported the incident and inquiries are now under way by officers attached to North Shore Police Area Command.” Australian police typically do not formally name those who are being suspected or charged with crimes.
However, AFP was informed by a law enforcement source and the purported victim, seasoned photojournalist Ben McDonald, that the man was in fact Swift’s father, Scott Swift.
“Caught me in the chops.”
McDonald claims that while Swift was making her way down the jetty to a waiting car, members of her security detail blocked his view by placing an umbrella in front of him.
McDonald said that a man approached him and “took it further” after Swift left. McDonald claimed, “He punched me in the chops.”
“I had no idea who he was,” McDonald admitted, adding that at first he thought it might have been a local security contractor going overboard “trying to impress the Americans.”
“But I looked at photos and saw him holding hands with Taylor, and it was her dad,” he explained. “It was unexpected. I had never experienced that in my 26 years.”
“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 spokeswoman told AFP.
Swift’s agent remained silent on the reported attack by the celebrity’s father and refused to answer questions about the specifics of the incident.
Currently, the megastar is embarking on a global blockbuster tour called Eras Tour, which, according to Pollstar, is predicted to earn over $1 billion, making it the highest-grossing musical tour ever.
This week, she is scheduled to travel to Singapore for additional tour dates. Regarding whether Scott Swift had been approached or questioned prior to the group’s departure, police would not say.
Supporters flocked to his defense online, with some
