Liam Payne: Crowds gather in London to mourn the death of the One Direction singer

LONDON (AP) — Hundreds gathered Sunday in London’s Kensington Gardens to mourn Liam Payne As fans around the world mourned this one direction The singer who died last week.

The Directioners, supporters of the hugely successful boy band, left tributes in London, Glasgow, Paris, Sydney and New York this weekend as they celebrated the life of the 31-year-old who died on Wednesday after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires.

In London, they clapped and sang after gathering near a statue of Peter Pan, the fictional boy who never grew up created by J.M. Barrie. Mourners, mostly young women, left heart-shaped balloons, pictures and flowers at the base of the statue, which is located next to a narrow path next to a waterway known as The Long Water.

Mindful of the crowds in the limited space, organizers asked fans to leave their greetings and then move away to allow others to approach the statue.

Fans Lauren Anderson and Natasha Bradley, both 23, said they wanted to be with others who shared their grief.

“Your parents, they don’t really understand how important (One Direction) was to you growing up,” Bradley said, explaining why she came to the park.

The protests followed those that took place outside the Casa Sur Hotel in the elegant Palermo district of the Argentine capital, immediately after Payne fell from his room on the third floor of the hotel. The four surviving members of One Direction issued a joint statement saying they were “absolutely devastated” by their bandmate’s death.

In the Tuileries Gardens in Paris, hundreds of fans – many crying and carrying flowers – gathered to remember Payne.

They sang songs and comforted each other. Some lit candles. Others brought photographs and artwork of Payne, as well as notes, letters and bouquets. About 400 people attended the gathering, overlooking the historic Place de la Concorde in Paris.

Emily Hodnett, 26, said she has been a fan of the band since 2011.

“They helped me,” she said. “They were there all through my adolescence until I was 18.” They were a bit like our fathers.” “They were just a boy band but they were very important to us.”

One Direction’s popularity rose worldwide shortly after the band was formed in 2010 from five young singers who auditioned for the British television talent show “X Factor.” The band broke up in 2016 after producing five albums that sold more than 70 million copies.

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Associated Press writer John Lester in Paris contributed to this report.