MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) 鈥 A photographer told police he was punched in the face by Taylor Swift鈥檚 father on the Sydney waterfront on Tuesday, hours after the pop star鈥檚 Australian tour ended.
Ben McDonald said he provided police with a statement alleging that Scott Swift assaulted him at the 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 despite not being seriously injured.
鈥淚t was just a punch in the chops. It鈥檚 a little tender, but I don鈥檛 have any bruising and it didn鈥檛 require medical assistance,鈥 McDonald said.
鈥淚n 23 years, I haven鈥檛 been assaulted and punched in the chops, particularly by the talent鈥檚 dad,鈥 he added.
Taylor Swift鈥檚 representative accused members of the media of aggression during the interaction.
鈥淭wo individuals were aggressively pushing their way towards Taylor, grabbing at her security personnel, and threatening to throw a female staff member into the water,鈥 the represetative said in an email.
The New South Wale Police Force media office confirmed that police were investigating the alleged assault of a 51-year-old man by a 71-year-old man at 2:30 a.m. Police did not release names, in accordance with their policy for such allegations.
Taylor Swift left the country on a private jet Tuesday, after more than 600,000 fans saw the Australian leg of her Eras Tour at seven Australian stadium concerts.
McDonald said media had been waiting to photograph the star as she walked with her entourage from a jetty to two waiting cars.
鈥淭here were about four or five security there and at one point, one of the American security started shoving his umbrella into me and my camera and then Taylor got in her car,鈥 McDonald told The Associated Press.
鈥淪omeone else came running at me and punched me in the left side of my face. Initially, I thought it was an Australian security that was trying to be the hero of the moment in the front of the Americans, but as it turned out it was her father,鈥 McDonald added.
McDonald said he realized that his alleged assailant was not a part of the security detail after seeing a photo of him holding Swift鈥檚 hand while reviewing photos from the evening. McDonald later identified Scott Swift from an online picture.
McDonald said there had been no cause for violence.
鈥淲e didn鈥檛 go rushing down the jetty. We didn鈥檛 go rushing to the back of the boat. We waited for her to come up. Kept it very civil,鈥 he said.
鈥淏ut no, they had to be (expletives) and put the umbrellas up and umbrellas over her and then shove the umbrellas into our faces and then make out that we鈥檙e the ones making contact with them,鈥 he added.
