By Jessica Schladebeck
New York Daily News
NEW YORK — Taylor Swift shelled out six figures to cover the cost of NYPD cops and other city resources required to protect her massive Madison Square Garden wedding to Kansas City Chiefs player Travis Kelce earlier this month, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani revealed.
The Grammy winner “has paid already the cost of the permit that was lodged, which was over $160,000 for that event and for the response to that event,” Mamdani said during a Friday press conference, after a reporter asked him whether Swift would compensate New York City for the police overtime.
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“That was a permit that was finalized, I think, in just the days before the event itself,” he added.
Mamdani’s comments came one week after the “Opalite” singer’s wedding day on July 3, which required an increased police presence and the closure of several streets in the Midtown area while the couple exchanged vows inside The Garden.
Their rehearsal dinner, which seemingly occurred the night prior, saw a similar law enforcement presence as well as road blocks, meant to protect the privacy of Swift, Kelce and their approximately 1,000 guests.
It all unfolded amid a very busy summer for the city, which recently celebrated the Knicks’ first championship in 53 years, the nation’s 250th birthday and is still enjoying the FIFA World Cup.
Mamdani during the same press conference described it as a “number of what are both historical and generational events.”
Swift’s critics were quick to condemn her for hosting her star-studded nuptials during such a hectic period in NYC, and U.S. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., had previously called on the billionaire pop star to foot the police overtime bill for her wedding weekend.
“Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce should reimburse NYPD for the 130 officers needed per day to keep their multi-million dollar, thousand person wedding at MSG safe,” she wrote on X. “Our officers are already working overtime for 4th of July festivities & NYC taxpayers should NOT be on the hook.”
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