American pop icon Taylor Swift abruptly left Australia following allegations of assault involving her father, Scott Swift, and an Australian photographer.

The incident took place in the early morning of Tuesday, February 27, 2024, at a ferry wharf in Neutral Bay, Sydney, Australia. This followed Swift’s final concert in Australia, which had taken place the previous evening, Monday, February 26.

Taylor and her father, also referred to as Papa Swift, had arrived at the wharf on a luxury superyacht named Quantum from Homebush. Video footage, taken just moments before the alleged altercation, shows Scott Swift disembarking from the yacht, walking along the wharf, and raising his middle finger toward photographers.

Scott Swift, aged 71, is accused of assaulting Ben McDonald, a 51-year-old photographer and CEO of Matrix Media Group. McDonald has firmly rejected claims made by representatives of Taylor Swift that suggested misrepresentation of the events leading to the altercation.

A spokesperson for Taylor Swift claimed that the incident was instigated by photographers who were allegedly aggressive towards Swift and her team, even threatening to throw a female staff member into the water. McDonald has dismissed these allegations as “complete nonsense,” claiming that Taylor Swift was the only woman present at the scene.

McDonald, who reported being hit, mentioned a “sore left cheek” but did not sustain severe injuries. He stated that he was attempting to photograph Taylor Swift, who was being shielded by her security team using umbrellas when he was struck by Scott Swift. He noted his surprise at the situation escalating as the security team appeared to be in control.

The North Shore Police Command is investigating the allegations, and examining the details of the reported altercation.

Swift and her team were seen leaving The Crown Hotel at Barangaroo in dark-colored SUVs just before 11 a.m. on Tuesday. Swift’s departure from Australia was hastened as her private jet, a Bombardier Global 6000, was seen departing Sydney Airport shortly after noon. It is assumed that Taylor Swift, her father, and her team were on board.

Swift, who was accompanied to Australia by her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, had performed a series of seven sold-out concerts in Melbourne and Sydney. Kelce had already left Australia prior to the incident. Despite the ongoing controversy, Swift is scheduled to continue her Eras Tour with performances in Singapore starting on March 2.

Throughout Swift’s Eras tour in Australia, Scott Swift has been a consistent and supportive presence. He interacted with fans, including distributing sandwiches during a Sydney concert and upgrading fans to VIP seats ahead of a Melbourne performance.