Mr. Scott Swift, 71 years old, is being investigated for allegedly beating an Australian photographer in the early morning of February 27 when he was with his daughter at the ferry terminal in Sydney.
The New South Wales Police Force confirmed to Page Six that an investigation was launched after Mr Scott was reported to have attacked photographer Ben McDonald, 51, at a ferry terminal on Sydney’s north coast.
Mr. Scott Swift – father of singer Taylor Swift. Photo: GC
The altercation happened around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday morning. Ben McDonald said: “She came from the yacht, following security guards who were pointing umbrellas at us. Then he rushed forward.”
Ben said Mr. Scott hit him on the left side of his face, causing him “a lot of pain.” However, the man said he did not need medical treatment. Ben affirmed that he did not do anything to anger Taylor’s father. “Maybe for some reason, he decided he needed to protect his daughter. In 23 years, I’ve never seen anything like it,” Ben shared on Mail Australia .
Taylor Swift wears a black umbrella and is led from the yacht to the wharf by her father. Photo: Backgrid
Responding to this allegation, Taylor Swift’s representative said “two aggressive individuals approached Taylor, grabbed her security staff and threatened to throw a female staff member into the water”.
However, Ben McDonald – chief executive of Matrix Media Group – criticized the claim as “complete crap” and said the only woman present at the scene was Taylor Swift. Ben said the altercation was caught on camera and did not show any aggressive actions by the photographers.
In the video and photos taken at the time of the incident, Taylor Swift holds an umbrella and is led by her father. Mr. Scott always walked next to his daughter to protect her while the staff held up umbrellas in front of her so paparazzi could not take pictures. A security guard then asked the photographers to stay away. As Taylor and her father approached, the collision caused the camera to shake. One man said he fell to the ground.
According to Mail , at around 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Taylor Swift and the entire crew left the Crown Hotel in Sydney and got into an SUV. After that, she left on a private plane. Taylor’s next show is in Singapore on March 2.
Taylor Swift on her Eras Tour. Photo: TAS Rights Management
Mr. Scott was by his daughter’s side throughout the sold-out Eras tour. He was praised for giving sandwiches to fans in the middle of a show in Sydney.
