In the early hours of February 27, 2024, American pop sensation Taylor Swift suddenly left Australia following assault accusations involving her father, Scott Swift, and an Australian photographer.
The alleged incident took place around 2:30 a.m. at a ferry wharf in Neutral Bay, Sydney, Australia, after Swift’s last concert in the country on February 26.
Both Taylor and Scott Swift, often referred to as Papa Swift, had traveled to the wharf from Homebush, a Sydney suburb, via a luxury superyacht named Quantum. Prior to the alleged assault, video footage captured Scott Swift exiting the boat, strolling along the wharf, and apparently gesturing rudely at photographers.
Scott Swift, 71, is accused of assaulting 51-year-old photographer and Matrix Media Group CEO, Ben McDonald. McDonald has sternly denied the claims made by representatives of Taylor Swift, arguing that the singer’s team manipulated the events leading to the incident.
A spokesperson for Taylor Swift claimed that the incident was provoked by photographers who purportedly displayed aggression towards Swift and her team, alleging that these individuals threatened to throw a female staff member into the water. McDonald dismissed these allegations as “complete nonsense,” stating that Taylor Swift was the only woman present at the scene.
McDonald, who claims to have been hit, reported a “sore left cheek” but no serious injuries. He said he was trying to photograph Taylor Swift, who was guarded by her security team with umbrellas, when Scott Swift allegedly struck him. McDonald expressed surprise at the escalation, given that the security team appeared to have the situation under control.
The North Shore Police Command is conducting an investigation into the altercation.
Swift and her entourage were seen leaving The Crown Hotel at Barangaroo in dark SUVs shortly before 11 a.m. on Tuesday. Her departure from Australia was hastened as her private jet, a Bombardier Global 6000, was seen leaving Sydney Airport just after noon. It is thought that Taylor Swift, along with her father and team, were on board.
Swift, who was accompanied by her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, during her stay in Australia, performed a series of seven sold-out concerts in Melbourne and Sydney. Kelce had left Australia before the reported incident. Despite the ongoing controversy, Swift is scheduled to continue her Eras Tour in Singapore beginning on March 2.
Scott Swift has been a steady and supportive presence during Taylor Swift’s Eras tour in Australia. He engaged with fans, even passing out sandwiches during a Sydney concert and upgrading fans to VIP seats before a Melbourne show.
