Taylor Swift flees Australia via private jet after last Eras concert
Taylor Swift has jetted out of Australia after her father Scott was accused of assaulting a local photographer on Tuesday morning.
The American singer’s private jet was seen leaving Sydney Airport just hours after the alleged incident.
The global megastar, 34, performed her final Eras Tour concert in the city on Monday night.
The Bombardier Global 6000, which both Taylor and her boyfriend Travis Kelce used to fly to Australia, was seen taxiing down the runway at around midday.
Taylor’s team and her father are all thought to be onboard.
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Taylor Swift has jetted out Australia after her father Scott was accused of assaulting a local photographer on Tuesday morning
The American singer’s private jet was seen leaving Sydney Airport just hours after the alleged incident
Taylor travelled Down Under for seven sell-out concerts across Melbourne and Sydney, which came to an end on Monday night, and she has a few days off before she will return to the stage in Singapore on March 2.
Her departure comes just hours after her father Scott Swift, 71, was accused of striking Ben McDonald, 51, at a ferry wharf in the suburb of Neutral Bay at about 2.30am on Tuesday, after the Australian leg of her Eras tour wrapped up.
Taylor’s team said the photographer ‘threatened to throw a female staff member into the water’.
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Her departure comes just hours after her father Scott (centre right), 71, was accused of striking Ben McDonald, 51, at a ferry wharf in the suburb of Neutral Bay at about 2.30am on Tuesday
Taylor and Scott had travelled from Homebush on a luxury superyacht called Quantum before the alleged assault.
Footage from the moments before the alleged altercation showed Scott walking up wharf while giving photographers the middle finger.
A spokeswoman for Taylor Swift told Daily Mail Australia the photographers 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,’ she said.
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However, Mr McDonald – the chief executive of Matrix Media Group – slammed the statement as ‘utter rubbish’ and said the only female at the scene was Taylor.
‘This is the sort of bulls**t I might expect,’ he said. ‘Which female was that? The only one there was Taylor.’
Mr McDonald said the altercation was caught on camera and did not show the photographers acting aggressively.
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The Bombardier Global 6000, which both Taylor and her boyfriend Travis Kelce used to travel into Australia, was seen taxiing down the runway at around midday
Taylor had travelled Down Under for seven concerts in Melbourne and Sydney, which came to an end on Monday, and s he has mere days off before she will return to the stage in Singapore
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An investigation into the alleged incident has been launched by the North Shore Police Command.
The photographer previously accused Scott of ‘charging’ at him once he was off the superyacht with Taylor.
He originally thought it was a security guard and was shocked when he realised the alleged attacker was the pop star’s dad.
Mr McDonald also said he didn’t know what triggered the alleged assault.
‘In 23 years of taking pictures, I have never seen anything like it,’ he said.
‘She got off the boat, she walked towards security guards who were shoving umbrellas in our faces.’
Footage of the alleged incident showed Taylor and her father walking up from the wharf with large umbrellas blocking the view.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce walk hand-in-hand in Sydney
Matrix Media photographer Ben McDonald (pictured) was allegedly struck in the face by Taylor Swift’s father, Scott
Mr McDonald started shooting when a security guard could be heard telling him not to touch the umbrella.
The camera jolted and there was movement from behind the umbrella.
A security guard could be heard saying, ‘that wasn’t me, that wasn’t me’.
Mr McDonald asked: ‘Who was that?’
He then went to The Rocks police station and reported the alleged incident.
Mr McDonald did not require medical attention and does not believe he will have lasting injuries, but has ‘very sore chops’ on the left side of his face.
Travis Kelce celebrates in Las Vegas after Taylor Swift concert
Travis Kelce, the star tight end of the Kansas City Chiefs, has voiced his support for his girlfriend, Taylor Swift, despite being thousands of miles away. This comes in the aftermath of an incident where Swift’s father reportedly confronted and punched an invasive paparazzo who was attempting to capture sensitive photos of his daughter following a show in Australia.
The altercation occurred as Swift and her father were leaving a venue in Australia, only to be confronted by the paparazzo aggressively attempting to capture intimate photos of the singer. Swift’s father, understandably protective of his daughter’s privacy and well-being, reacted swiftly to defend her from the invasive and disrespectful behavior.
While Kelce was not physically present during the incident, sources close to the couple revealed that he was deeply concerned and upset by the news. Kelce reached out to Swift immediately, offering his unwavering support and comfort during what must have been a distressing moment for the singer and her family.
“Travis was shocked and angered by the paparazzo’s actions,” a close source to Kelce shared. “Even though he was on the other side of the world, he made sure Taylor knew he stood by her and her family’s right to privacy and safety.”
Scott has been a fixture by his daughter’s side throughout her sold-out Eras tour Down Under and has been praised by fans for his kind actions during the concerts (pictured together)
Scott has been a fixture by his daughter’s side throughout her sold-out Eras tour.
He has been praised for handing out sandwiches to fans in the middle of a Sydney show, saying ‘help yourselves’.
The day before Taylor’s first show in Melbourne earlier this month, extra tickets were released but most had a limited view of the stage.
Scott walked around handing out VIP passes so excited fans would have access to better seats.
