Madness frontman Graham ‘Suggs’ McPherson last night sung at a vigil for a 21-year-old filmmaking student who was stabbed to death in Primrose Hill.
Suggs sang It Must Be Love as balloons were released into the sky in memory of Finbar Sullivan, who was stabbed in the early evening of April 7.
Hundreds of people, including some famous faces, turned out at the viewing point on Primrose Hill on Sunday evening.
They included The Jam’s Paul Weller, Dexys Midnight Runners frontman Kevin Rowland, Primal Scream frontman Bobby Gillespie and The Sex Pistols bassist Glen Matlock.
Dozens of candles and bunches of flowers were placed at the gates to the park, along with pictures of Finbar.
Some of his favourite songs were sung and a minute’s silence was held.
Known as Fin or Sully by his friends, he was a student at the London Screen Academy.
And according to his father, he had gone to Primrose Hill to test a new camera he got for his birthday.
Finbar Sullivan’s parents Leah Seresin (left) and Chris Sullivan (centre) join a vigil on Primrose Hill, north London, in memory of the 21-year-old filmmaking student
Flowers and tributes tied to the fence during a vigil on Primrose Hill, north London, in Finbar’s memory
Chris Sullivan said his son had ambitions to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather, cameraman Michael Seresin, who worked on Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and Rambo III.
Mr Sullivan, who is a club promoter best known for founding the Wag Club in London, said after the vigil: ‘This is subsequent to my son being stabbed very near this spot to death… on the 7th April.
‘We decided to have a little tribute to him and get all these people together.
‘I’m so impressed to see the diaspora of people, ages, races, colours and creeds, and they did us proud.
‘So I think Finbar’s legacy should be that, unity and love and peace.’
He added that he was not surprised that hundreds of people turned out for the vigil as his son was ‘like a magnet for people’.
Mr Sullivan said his son was ‘full of jokes’ and was a ‘really loving person’, adding: ‘He was all I ever thought about.
‘So it’s like as if, you have both your legs cut off, you know, you always remember they’re gone, and you never forget them, but it will always be difficult to deal with. I’m not expecting an easy journey.’
The 21-year-old, who studied at the London Screen Academy, produced music videos for drill rap artists under the name Sully Shot It
Finbar’s Dad said his son was ‘full of jokes’ and was a ‘really loving person’ as hundreds of people took part in the vigil on Primrose Hill
Balloons are released at the vigil in memory of Finbar who his father described as a ‘middle-class kid with long hair’
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Mr Sullivan, 65, described Finbar as a ‘middle-class kid with long hair’ who lived with him in a £1million flat in Maida Vale.
He said: ‘I’m so broken-hearted, I can’t believe it. He was the most beautiful, lovely, outgoing, loving boy. He was just a really lovely person. And why he was targeted, we have no idea.
‘He’d just bought a new camera, we all chipped in for his 21st birthday, and he took it up there to do a bit of filming.’
And he added that his son had just worked with Vivienne Westwood’s son Joe Corre on a film.
Finbar left his home in Maida Vale, north-west London at around 4.30pm, telling his father, artist and musician Chris Sullivan, himself a leading light in London’s artistic scene, that he would be home later to cook dinner.
He would have arrived at Primrose Hill, just a couple of miles from his home, some time around 5pm, having arranged to meet up with friends, including his best mate AJ, home from Nottingham University for the Easter break.
They were planning to do what young lads do on sunny afternoons in London – lounge about, play music (Finbar produced videos for up-and-coming rappers) and chat.
But by 6.41pm, when the police were called after receiving reports of a fight at the summit of Primrose Hill where the views stretch out across the whole city, Finbar had been fatally stabbed.
He received multiple wounds, including a fatal injury to the leg, severing an artery. His friend AJ was also wounded – Finbar’s family believe he was trying to protect Finbar. It was 6.45pm when AJ staggered into a nearby pub, seeking refuge.
Finbar’s father Christopher said his death ‘is the worst tragedy I could ever imagine’
There were frantic scenes as horrified bystanders – including a woman with a son the same age – tried to save Finbar’s life, to hold him and comfort him.
Paramedics attempted CPR for 20 minutes but by the time his distraught father, alerted by friends, arrived, Finbar was gone, pronounced dead at the scene.
Within minutes footage of the fracas was circulating on social media.
Three men have been charged with his murder: Ernest Boateng, 25, Alexis Bidace, 25, and Oliuwadamilola Ogunyankinnu, 27.
A fourth man, Khalid Abdulqadir, 18, has been separately charged in relation to the same incident.
He is charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent to a second alleged victim, violent disorder and possession of a knife.
