Following allegations of assault involving her father, Scott Swift, and a local photographer, Taylor Swift, the renowned American pop artist, left Australia. The incident took place in the early morning of Tuesday, February 27, 2024.
The assault occured around 2:30 a.m. at a ferry wharf in Neutral Bay, Sydney, Australia, after Swift’s last concert in the country held on Monday night, February 26.
The father-daughter duo, Taylor and Scott, also referred to as Papa Swift, had reached the wharf from Homebush, a Sydney suburb, using a luxury superyacht named Quantum. Video footage taken shortly before the alleged altercation showed Scott Swift disembarking from the yacht, walking on the wharf, and making a gesture at photographers with his middle finger.
Scott Swift, aged 71, is charged with assaulting Ben McDonald, a 51-year-old photographer and the CEO of Matrix Media Group. McDonald has vehemently denied the assertions made by Taylor Swift’s team, suggesting that the singer’s representatives have misrepresented the situation leading to the confrontation.
A spokesperson for Taylor Swift claimed that the incident was incited by photographers who were allegedly aggressive towards Swift and her crew, claiming that these individuals threatened to throw a female staff member into the water. McDonald dismissed these accusations as “absolute nonsense,” insisting that Taylor Swift was the only female present at the scene.
McDonald, after being hit, reported a “sore left chop” but did not sustain severe injuries. He stated that he was trying to capture photos of Taylor Swift, who was being shielded by her security personnel using umbrellas when Scott Swift struck him. McDonald expressed his surprise at the escalation, noting that the security team seemed to have the situation under control.
The North Shore Police Command has launched an investigation into the incident, carefully examining the details of the altercation.
Swift and her team were seen leaving The Crown Hotel at Barangaroo in dark SUVs just before 11 a.m. on Tuesday. Her departure from Australia was accelerated as her private jet, a Bombardier Global 6000, was seen departing Sydney Airport shortly after noon. It is believed that Taylor Swift, along with her father and staff, were on board.
Accompanied by her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, to Australia, the singer performed a series of seven sold-out concerts in Melbourne and Sydney. Kelce had left Australia before the incident. Despite the ongoing controversy, Swift is scheduled to continue her Eras Tour with shows in Singapore starting on March 2.
Throughout Taylor Swift’s Eras tour in Australia, Scott Swift has been a constant supportive figure. He interacted with fans, including handing out sandwiches during a Sydney concert and upgrading fans to VIP seats before a performance in Melbourne.
