Liam Payne fans gather in great crowds to pay tribute in London’s Hyde Park
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London’s Hyde Park was one of the several sites around the world this weekend for an outpouring of love, grief and recollection in honor of Liam Payne, the former One Direction boy band member who tragically fell to his death at a hotel in Buenos Aires last week at the age of 31.
London’s Hyde Park was one of the several sites around the world this weekend for an outpouring of love, grief and recollection in honor of Liam Payne, the former One Direction boy band member who tragically fell to his death at a hotel in Buenos Aires last week at the age of 31.
Crowds gathered near the park’s Peter Pan statue, where they placed handwritten letters, teddy bears, balloons, photos and flowers, according to photos shared from the memorial. The scene created what looked like a scrapbook of both the singer’s life and the fans whose lives he touched.
Several fans at the memorial told CNN that being able to mourn Payne with other 1D fans gave them a sense of community and a feeling that they were among family.
The mood appeared to be both somber and celebratory. Some fans held each other as they cried. One group of people told CNN they had been collecting notes from other fans in a journal they hoped would one day reach Payne’s family.
At times, attendees would sing some of the band’s best-known songs, including “Story of My Life,” “Night Changes” and “That’s What Makes You Beautiful,” according to footage posted online.
The Hyde Park memorial is one of many fan-organized vigils held throughout the weekend, with Payne’s supporters paying tribute to the singer in London, Japan, Australia and US, among others. In the wake of Payne’s death, One Direction’s supporters, once connected in their youthful appreciation of the band, are coming back together in person and online.
