MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — A photographer told police he was punched in the face by Taylor Swift's father on a Sydney waterfront on Tuesday, hours after the pop star's Australian tour ended.
Ben McDonald said he provided police with a statement in which he claimed Scott Swift attacked him at Neutral Bay Wharf, where the father and daughter had just come ashore from a yacht.
The veteran paparazzo said he decided to report the attack to police even though he was not seriously injured.
“It was just a slap in the face. It's a little tender, but I have no bruising and no medical attention was required,” McDonald said.
“I haven’t been attacked or beaten in 23 years, especially not by the talent’s father,” he added.
Taylor Swift's representative accused members of the media of aggression during the interaction.
“Two individuals aggressively pushed toward Taylor, grabbed her security guards, and threatened to throw a female staff member into the water,” the representative said in an email.
The New South Wales Police Force media office confirmed police are investigating the alleged attack on a 51-year-old by a 71-year-old at 2.30am. Police did not release names in accordance with their policy regarding the allegations.
Taylor Swift left the country on a private jet on Tuesday after more than 600,000 fans watched the Australian leg of her Eras tour at seven Australian stadium concerts.
McDonald said the media waited to photograph the star as she and her entourage walked from a footbridge to two waiting cars.
This undated self-portrait photo of Ben McDonald shows Ben McDonald in Sydney, Australia. (Ben McDonald via AP)
“There were about four or five security guards there and at one point one of the American security guards started poking his umbrella into me and my camera and then Taylor got into her car,” McDonald told The Associated Press.
“Someone else came running towards me and punched me in the left side of my face. “Initially I thought it was an Australian security force trying to be the hero of the moment in front of the Americans, but it turned out it was her father,” McDonald added.
McDonald said he realized his alleged attacker wasn't part of security after seeing a photo of him holding Swift's hand while looking through photos from the evening. McDonald later identified Scott Swift from an online picture.
McDonald said there was no reason for violence.
“We didn’t run down the footbridge. We didn't rush to the back of the boat. We waited for her to show up. I kept it very civil,” he said.
“But no, they had to be (expletive) and put up the umbrellas and put umbrellas over them and then shove the umbrellas in our faces and then act like we were the ones coming into contact with them,” he added.