American pop superstar Taylor Swift abruptly departed Australia in the wake of assault allegations involving her father, Scott Swift, and a local photographer. The incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, February 27, 2024.
The alleged assault occurred at a ferry wharf in Neutral Bay, Sydney, Australia, around 2:30 a.m., following Swift’s final concert in the country on Monday night, February 26.
Taylor and Scott, also known as Papa Swift, had arrived at the wharf from Homebush on a luxury superyacht called Quantum. Video footage moments before the purported altercation showed Swift’s father, Scott, stepping off the boat, walking along the wharf, and gesturing toward photographers with his middle finger raised.
Scott Swift, 71, is accused of assaulting Ben McDonald, a 51-year-old photographer and chief executive of Matrix Media Group. McDonald has strongly refuted claims made by Taylor Swift’s representatives, suggesting that the singer’s team misrepresented the circumstances leading up to the altercation.
Taylor Swift’s spokesperson alleged that the incident was provoked by photographers who were purportedly aggressive towards Swift and her team, asserting that these individuals threatened to throw a female staff member into the water. McDonald dismissed these claims as “utter rubbish,” maintaining that Taylor Swift was the only female present at the scene.
About being struck, McDonald said he experienced a “sore left chop” but did not suffer serious injuries. He reported attempting to take photos of Taylor Swift, who was being shielded by her security team using umbrellas when Scott Swift struck him. McDonald voiced his astonishment at the escalation, observing that the security team seemed to have the situation in hand.
The North Shore Police Command has investigated the matter, scrutinizing the details of the altercation.
Taylor Swift and her group were observed departing from The Crown Hotel at Barangaroo in dark-colored SUVs shortly before 11 a.m. on Tuesday. Her exit from Australia was expedited as her private jet, a Bombardier Global 6000, was observed leaving Sydney Airport shortly after midday. It is believed that Taylor Swift, along with her father and team, were on board.
The singer, who had been accompanied to Australia by her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, performed a series of seven sold-out concerts in Melbourne and Sydney. Kelce had left Australia before the incident. Despite the unfolding controversy, Swift is slated to resume her Eras Tour with performances in Singapore starting on March 2.
Scott Swift has been a constant, supportive presence throughout Taylor Swift’s Eras tour in Australia. He interacted with fans, including handing out sandwiches during a Sydney show and upgrading fans to VIP seats before a Melbourne performance.
