Taylor Swift’s team have spoken out and claimed that an Australian photographer “threatened to throw a female staff member into the water” – before Scott Swift allegedly waded in and punched the man in the face.
The 71-year-old is accused of striking Ben McDonald at a ferry wharf last week after the Australian leg of the Eras tour wrapped.
McDonald claims Swift’s father walked up the wharf whilst swearing at the photographers and becoming aggressive towards McDonald.
A spokeswoman for the international singer told Daily Mail Australia that it was the the photographers who were being “aggressive”.
“Two individuals were aggressively pushing their way towards Taylor, grabbing at her security personnel, and threatening to throw a female staff member into the water.”
However, McDonald has since clapped back at the statement and claimed it was “utter rubbish” as Swift was the only female at the scene.
Taylor's team spoke out about the allegations
GETTY
He added: “This is the sort of bulls**t I might expect. Which female was that? The only one there was Taylor.”
Speaking about the footage he managed to shoot, McDonald claimed it did not show any of the photographers acting aggressively towards the singer.
Unable to settle the dispute, an investigation into the alleged incident has been launched by the North Shore Police Command.
Swift’s team's statement comes after McDonald first accused “Papa Swift” of charging at him once he stepped off of the superyacht.
The incident occured during the last leg of her Australian stint
GETTY
The photographer initially thought he was being approached by a security guard but was left stunned to find out if was the Shake It Off singer’s dad.
“In 23 years of taking pictures, I have never seen anything like it! She got off the boat, she walked towards security guards who were shoving umbrellas in our faces," McDonald said to the BBC.
McDonald began filming the altercation when he heard the security guard telling him not to touch the umbrella.
During the footage, the camera jolts as movement from behind the umbrella knocks the focus off-kilter before a security guard can be heard saying: “That wasn’t me, that wasn’t me.”
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
- BBC issues apology to family at centre of Huw Edwards saga as 'complaint was not escalated quickly enough'
- Nick Knowles branded 'unrecognisable' as 61-year-old debuts striking new look - and explains reason behind it
- Peppa Pig: Britons hit back as US parents complain over 'brat' cartoon amid claims it makes children 'rude'
Scott Swift is accused of punching a photographer in the face
TIKTOK
Shortly after, McDonald went to The Rocks police station to report the incident and did not need medical attention for his “very sore chops” on the left side of his face.
Swift and her entourage have since left Australia and are making plans for her next show in Singapore on Saturday, March 2.
The alleged behavior from her father comes as a shock to fans after he had previously been praised for handing out sandwiches to fans in the middle of a Sydney showing and telling people to “help yourselves”.
He had also walked around handing out VIP passes for excited fans after the star was forced to release extra tickets to the Melbourne shows.
