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Taylor Swift performs in Sydney

Photo: David Gray / AFP

Police in the Australian state of New South Wales are investigating an allegation by a photographer who claims he was beaten by Taylor Swift's father.

Ben McDonald, 51, told the AFP news agency and the Guardian Australia that he photographed the singer on a luxury yacht in the city's bay after her last of four concerts in Sydney.

At around 2:30 a.m. she left the yacht and walked down the quay - surrounded by security guards who tried to prevent him from taking photos with umbrellas.

While Taylor Swift was already in a car, McDonald claims, a man punched him in the face.

“I didn’t know at the time that it was her father,” said the photographer.

He only later identified the man as Scott Swift based on pictures he took.

A spokesperson for Taylor Swift did not immediately respond to questions about the allegations, but said two people "aggressively" approached Taylor, groped her security guards and threatened to throw a staff member into the water.

Taylor Swift ended the Australian leg of her "Eras" tour in Sydney on Monday evening.

An estimated 600,000 people in Australia saw their performances over the last two weekends.

vet/AFP