Fans of Liam Payne have been marching through the streets of Argentina, calling for justice over his death.
The demonstrations have been taking place across Buenos Aires – the city where the singer died earlier this year – and come in a bid to put pressure on authorities to hold people related to the case accountable.
News of the soloist and former One Direction star’s death arose on October 16, following his falling from a third-floor balcony at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel. The Argentinian prosecutor’s office later shared that cause of death was due to multiple traumas and internal and external bleeding.
Later that month, preliminary toxicology tests revealed the musician had pink cocaine and several other substances in his system at the time of his fatal balcony fall, and fans and famous faces subsequently came forward to campaign for better safeguarding of those in the public eye.
Now, following a handful of people related to his passing being taken into custody – including two members of the hotel staff – fans have been marching to ensure that the efforts made by police do not lose momentum.
Marcha pedido de justicia para Liam Argentina 14/12/24 (Resumen) #JUSTICEFORLIAM #liampayne
“We want to apply pressure and show [the prosecutor] that we’re watching,” one of the march organisers told Rolling Stone, while others told the outlet that their campaigning came as a result of a lack of “trust in the justice system”. “It takes years for there to be justice in some cases here, and it’s taking way too long in this one.”
An example of this reported lack of trust was explained further by other demonstrators, several of which highlighted how numerous cases in the country are eventually “halted”.
“I want this case to advance and that it doesn’t stay halted like so many other cases in Argentina,” one said. “I want there to be real justice and for the truth to come out… Justice for me means finding peace: I want the people involved to face time in jail and that there be no corruption.”
Elsewhere, some drew attention to the way that Payne’s death was handled by both the staff at the hotel and the media – namely after images of the singer’s body were published by some outlets.
“We were all very upset about those images [and] you can tell with that photo that the hotel could’ve done more to save him,” one said. “They cared more about the image of the lobby than the actual well-being of one of its guests.”
Demonstrators continue to march through the streets of Buenos Aires, many of which are holding placards and chanting “Justicia por Liam!” (Justice for Liam), as per a report by Elle.
we should talk more about the protests that fans are staging in Argentina#JusticeForLiam #JUSTICEFORLIAMPANE pic.twitter.com/WRN0g9OZYI
— ziam therapy ♡ (@ziam_therapy) December 16, 2024
Un poquito de la colecta que realizamos hoy en el santuario #JusticeForLiam pic.twitter.com/Yn6SuSMDyy
— Lula (@Lucilaailen_) December 16, 2024
#JusticeForLiam #UnidosporLP pic.twitter.com/28r7jfLc54
— Lula (@Lucilaailen_) December 14, 2024
As aforementioned, this isn’t the first time that people have come forward petitioning for change amid the news of Payne’s passing. Just days after the singer died, a petition was launched, calling for a new law to safeguard the mental well-being of artists in the music industry and amassed over 40,000 signatures in just hours.
Famous faces weighed in too. Songwriter Guy Chambers called on the music industry to stop putting minors in boybands, Robbie Williams said that Payne’s “trials and tribulations were very similar to mine”, Sharon Osbourne accused the music industry of “letting down” Payne, and Bruce Springsteen added that the music industry puts “enormous pressures on young people”.
Former X Factor contestant Katie Waissel, who competed alongside One Direction on the talent show, called for more “care and support for young artists” too, while Rebecca Ferguson, who finished in second place in the same season, paid tribute to Payne while also speaking out against the “exploitation and profiteering of young stars.”
The previously mentioned hotel staff who were arrested were two of several people connected to the case who are being called upon to face the courts regarding Payne’s death. Before then, two individuals accused of supplying the singer with drugs, and a friend of Payne was accused of abandonment of a person followed by death.
Last month, one suspect called Braian Nahuel Paiz spoke to journalist, Guillermo Panizza on Argentinian TV, and said that while he had met the singer twice before his death and taken drugs with him, he never supplied Payne with narcotics nor accepted any money from him.
This is a developing story.
The post Liam Payne fans march for justice over star’s death in Argentina appeared first on NME.
