Huge crowd of Liam Payne fans gather in Hyde Park to pay tribute to tragic One Direction star
Over 100 fans have gathered to honour the memory of former One Direction member, Liam Payne. The crowd gathered on Sunday afternoon, bringing with them photos of the late singer, handwritten notes, balloons, and flowers to the Peter Pan statue in Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park.
Known as Directioners, these fans of the band formed on The X Factor have been organising tributes across the globe and within the UK to celebrate Payne, who tragically passed away last Wednesday. Prior to the weekend, Payne’s father travelled to Buenos Aires to arrange for his son’s body to be returned home.
Geoff Payne visited the Casa Sur Hotel on Friday, where the Wolverhampton-born star fell from a third-floor balcony, and took time to read letters and cards left by fans. On Saturday, Payne's sister, Ruth Gibbins, posted a heartfelt tribute to her brother on Instagram, stating "this world was not good enough or kind enough", alongside shared images of him.
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She also wrote, "I’m sorry I couldn’t save you" and added: "One last time I need you to know, I’m here if you need anything, I’d drive to the end of the universe to bring you back."
That same day, auditions for Britain’s Got Talent resumed in Blackpool after being rescheduled due to Payne’s death, and fellow One Direction member Zayn Malik announced he would postpone the US leg of his tour.
Zayn Malik, formerly of the X Factor-launched group One Direction, has announced a pause in his tour plans "given the heartbreaking loss experienced this week", as he stated on social media. Fans were assured with "The dates are being rescheduled for January and I’ll post them as soon as it’s all set in the next few days," and "Your tickets will remain valid for the new dates. Love you all and thank you for your understanding."
His UK performances, which include Edinburgh, London, Wolverhampton, Leeds, Newcastle, and Manchester scheduled for the later part of the year, are confirmed to be going ahead by his representative.
The tragic passing of Payne was attributed to multiple injuries and both "internal and external haemorrhage" according to the autopsy report. An investigation into the incident has commenced, described by Argentina’s National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office No 16 as an "inconclusive death".
Officials have interviewed five individuals to ascertain the series of events at the hotel. In a heartfelt message, One Direction collectively expressed they're "completely devastated" by the loss of their bandmate and friend, vowing that "the memories we shared with him will be treasured forever".
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