Memorial held for Liam Payne at Washington Square Park: ‘He was so loved’

NEW YORK CITY (PIX11) – Flowers and photos of late singer Liam Payne flooded Washington Square Park Saturday evening in a memorial service for the One Direction star.

Fans sang along to Payne’s songs and lit candles during Saturday’s memorial, joining thousands around the world holding public vigils for the 31-year-old.

On Sunday, vigils were organized in London, Sydney and Newcastle.

“At the Liam Payne memorial in NYC, I couldn’t hold my tears as I put my flowers down and looked at the candles [and] young pictures,” one attendee wrote in a post to X . “I felt numb, but being surrounded by other Directioners was what I truly needed.”

Videos show the group singing along to One Direction songs like “Truly Madly Deeply” and “More Than This” as some placed flowers and notes next to a cutout of Payne.

“He was so loved,” said Ashley Tunstall in a post to X .

The circumstances surrounding Payne’s death were suspicious and possibly involved drugs, though there was no sign of a third party being involved, Argentine prosecutors said.

His body was found Wednesday in the courtyard of a hotel in Buenos Aires with traumatic injuries to his skill, abdomen and limbs consistent with a fall, according to Argentine prosecutors.

This story comprises reporting from The Associated Press.

Emily Rahhal is a digital reporter who has covered New York City since 2023 after reporting in Los Angeles for years. She joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of her work here and follow her on Twitter here .

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