A photographer in Sydney is accusing Taylor Swift's dad of punching him in the face.
The pop star had been in Australia for the international leg of her Eras Tour.
Ben McDonald told The Associated Press the incident happened at the Neutral Bay Wharf on the Sydney waterfront, where Swift and her father had just come off a yacht. The veteran paparazzi said he reported the attack to police despite not being seriously injured.
"It was just a punch in the chops. It's a little tender, but I don't have any bruising and it didn't require medical assistance," he told AP.
"In 23 years, I haven't been assaulted and punched in the chops, particularly by the talent's dad," he said.
While Swift's camp typically remains relatively quiet, a representative for the singer spoke out following the accusation.
"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," the representative said in an email to the AP.
New South Wales Police confirmed to TMZ that a 71-year-old man (believed to be dad Scott Swift) allegedly got into a physical altercation with a 51-year-old male (presumably McDonald) around 2 a.m. Tuesday, but they did not include any names. While police are investigating, they noted the man who reported the incident did not require medical attention.
McDonald said he had been waiting to photograph the pop star as she walked off a jetty with her entourage.
"There 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," said McDonald.
"Someone 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 front of the Americans, but as it turned out it was her father," he said.
He realized the man had not been a part of Swift's security detail and later identified him as Taylor's father from an online picture. He insisted there had been no cause for violence.
"We didn't go rushing down the jetty. We didn't go rushing to the back of the boat. We waited for her to come up. Kept it very civil," he said.
"But 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're the ones making contact with them," he continued.
Taylor performed her last show in Sydney Monday night, hours before the incident.
She left the country via her private jet on Tuesday, Australian media reported.
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"You've made me laugh and made me feel understood many times with your reviews," Swift said in one of her handwritten notes to the fans.
