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 US singer Taylor Swift (L) and her father Scott Kingsley Swift (top R) cheer as they watch the Kansas City Chiefs play the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on December 17, 2023. Maddie Meyer, Getty Images via AFP

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Australian police investigate Swift's dad over alleged assault

Agence France-Presse

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/taylor-swift-02272024.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="US singer Taylor Swift (L) and her father Scott Kingsley Swift (top R) cheer as they watch the Kansas City Chiefs play the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on December 17, 2023. Maddie Meyer, Getty Images via AFP"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">US singer Taylor Swift (L) and her father Scott Kingsley Swift (top R) cheer as they watch the Kansas City Chiefs play the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on December 17, 2023. <em>Maddie Meyer, Getty Images via AFP</em></span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>SYDNEY -- (UPDATED) Australian police are investigating claims Taylor Swift&#x27;s father -- nicknamed &quot;Papa Swift&quot; by her adoring fans -- punched a photographer while disembarking a superyacht in the early hours of Tuesday morning.</p><p>&quot;Police have been told a 71-year-old man allegedly assaulted a 51-year-old man at Neutral Bay Wharf about 2:30 am, before leaving the location,&quot; police spokeswoman Alicia McCumstie told AFP.</p><p>Australian police do not formally identify suspects.</p><p>However, the alleged victim -- veteran photographer Ben McDonald -- and a law enforcement source both identified the man accused as Swift&#x27;s father, Scott. </p><p style="margin:0px 0px 20px;padding:0px;border:0px;-webkit- text-size-adjust:100%;box-sizing:border-box;line-height:1.3;letter-spacing:normal">McDonald said he had been taking pictures of the US pop star and her entourage on a luxury superyacht in Sydney Harbour -- an apparent late-night celebration after the last of her four sellout gigs in the city.</p><p style="margin:0px 0px 20px;padding:0px;border:0px;-webkit- text-size-adjust:100%;box-sizing:border-box;line-height:1.3;letter-spacing:normal">McDonald alleges that her security detail put an umbrella in his face to prevent photographs as Swift and the group disembarked and walked down the jetty to a waiting vehicle.</p><p style="margin:0px 0px 20px;padding:0px;border:0px;-webkit- text-size-adjust:100%;box-sizing:border-box;line-height:1.3;letter-spacing:normal">He also claimed an older man confronted him and &quot;took it further&quot; after Swift departed.</p><p style="margin:0px 0px 20px;padding:0px;border:0px;-webkit- text-size-adjust:100%;box-sizing:border-box;line-height:1.3;letter-spacing:normal">&quot;He punched me in the chops,&quot; McDonald told AFP. &quot;It was a shock. That&#x27;s never happened to me in 26 years.&quot;</p><p style="margin:0px 0px 20px;padding:0px;border:0px;-webkit- text-size-adjust:100%;box-sizing:border-box;line-height:1.3;letter-spacing:normal">&quot;I didn&#x27;t know who he was,&quot; the photographer said, adding that he initially believed it may have been an overzealous local security contractor &quot;trying to impress the Americans.&quot;</p><p style="margin:0px 0px 20px;padding:0px;border:0px;-webkit- text-size-adjust:100%;box-sizing:border-box;line-height:1.3;letter-spacing:normal">&quot;But I looked at photos and saw him holding hands with Taylor, and it was her dad,&quot; he said.</p><p style="margin:0px 0px 20px;padding:0px;border:0px;-webkit- text-size-adjust:100%;box-sizing:border-box;line-height:1.3;letter-spacing:normal">Police later said Scott Swift &quot;has left the country&quot; but said inquiries were continuing.</p><div><strong>&#x27;Free Scott Swift&#x27;</strong></div><p style="margin:0px 0px 20px;padding:0px;border:0px;-webkit- text-size-adjust:100%;box-sizing:border-box;line-height:1.3;letter-spacing:normal">A spokesperson for Taylor Swift did not comment directly on Scott Swift&#x27;s role in the incident.</p><p style="margin:0px 0px 20px;padding:0px;border:0px;-webkit- text-size-adjust:100%;box-sizing:border-box;line-height:1.3;letter-spacing:normal">However, the representative made counter-allegations of pushing and aggression by unidentified people at the waterside.</p><p style="margin:0px 0px 20px;padding:0px;border:0px;-webkit- text-size-adjust:100%;box-sizing:border-box;line-height:1.3;letter-spacing:normal">&quot;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,&quot; the spokesperson told AFP.</p><p style="margin:0px 0px 20px;padding:0px;border:0px;-webkit- text-size-adjust:100%;box-sizing:border-box;line-height:1.3;letter-spacing:normal">No further details of the incident were offered.</p><p style="margin:0px 0px 20px;padding:0px;border:0px;-webkit- text-size-adjust:100%;box-sizing:border-box;line-height:1.3;letter-spacing:normal">Taylor Swift is on her blockbuster worldwide Eras Tour, which is expected to be the highest-grossing musical tour of all time at more than $1 billion, according to Pollstar.</p><p style="margin:0px 0px 20px;padding:0px;border:0px;-webkit- text-size-adjust:100%;box-sizing:border-box;line-height:1.3;letter-spacing:normal">She has left Australia for Singapore, where she will play to more than 300,000 fans during six sold-out dates at the National Stadium.</p><p style="margin:0px 0px 20px;padding:0px;border:0px;-webkit- text-size-adjust:100%;box-sizing:border-box;line-height:1.3;letter-spacing:normal">Online, Swift fans rushed to her father&#x27;s defence. &quot;Free Scott Swift,&quot; posted social media user @Soyytv.</p><p style="margin:0px 0px 20px;padding:0px;border:0px;-webkit- text-size-adjust:100%;box-sizing:border-box;line-height:1.3;letter-spacing:normal">&quot;Papa Swift,&quot; as he is affectionately known, has become a fan favourite, handing out sandwiches, fruit, guitar picks and VIP passes to young members of his daughter&#x27;s audiences.</p><p style="margin:0px 0px 20px;padding:0px;border:0px;-webkit- text-size-adjust:100%;box-sizing:border-box;line-height:1.3;letter-spacing:normal">After a career as a financial adviser, Scott Swift is now a regular at his daughter&#x27;s gigs and public appearances -- including this month&#x27;s Super Bowl in Las Vegas.</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div>

<p>Australian police are investigating claims Taylor Swift's dad assaulted a photographer when the star and her entourage were disembarking a superyacht in the early hours of Tuesday morning.</p>

Australian police are investigating claims Taylor Swift's dad assaulted a photographer when the star and her entourage were disembarking a superyacht in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Australian police investigate Taylor Swift's dad over alleged assault

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Australian police investigate Taylor Swift's dad over alleged assault

Agence France-Presse

Published Feb 27, 2024 11:49 AM PHT

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Updated Feb 27, 2024 03:52 PM PHT

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Taylor Swift

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Scott Kingsley Swift

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