NEW YORK (Michael Jackson Fans Website) - Michael Jackson's fans have staged a vigil in support of the superstar and urged others to believe he was innocent of child sex allegations.
A group of about 30 fans, most of whom have met the singer a number of times, chanted "Michael, Innocent" in a cold and wet Leicester
Square in central London.
The vigils were held around the world. There were rallies from Los Angeles to Toronto to Rome, but each drew just a few dozen fans. In Los Angeles, about 25 supporters gathered at Jackson's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame outside Grauman's Chinese Theatre.
One of the Leicester Square fans was Austrian Martina Wohlesser, 25, who lives in London and has just returned from visiting Jackson in Las Vegas.
Ms Wohlesser said: "I think this is really, seriously, going too far because he doesn't deserve this. Why would he be so stupid and go on TV and admit he slept in the same room as children if he was guilty?" He's such a nice guy."
Fellow fan Elizabeth Parker, 29, from London, said one of the reasons the fans had staged the demonstration was to highlight a different opinion from the one being portrayed in the newspapers.
"We are basically trying to inform the public of another opinion rather than listening to the tabloids all the time, people should actually look at the facts rather than the fiction of the tabloids," she said.
In LA, about 25 supporters gathered at Jackson's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame outside Grauman's Chinese Theatre. They chanted "Michael's innocent" and set candles in the shape of a heart around the star.
In Las Vegas, about 25 fans gathered outside the CMX Productions studio, where Jackson had been working on the video. One fan, Christina Lowhorn, 21, said: "It's important for all his fans to come together at a time like this."
In Paris, about 60 fans gathered on the Champs Elysees and marched through crowds of shoppers to the Arc de Triomphe. They held candles and banners with slogans of support and sang We Are the World - the 1985 African famine relief anthem written by Jackson and Lionel Richie.
Supporters in Rome gathered at the foot of the Spanish Steps just after darkness fell. They held candles and a sign in Italian that read: "Michael: Accused but not guilty!" In Toronto, about 30 fans huddled over candles as rain and wind swept over the midtown square.
Jackson surrendered to Santa Barbara County authorities on Thursday after an arrest warrant was issued alleging that he committed lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14.
After posting three million US dollar bail, Jackson flew back to Las Vegas where he had been working on a video.
Stuart Backerman, a spokesman for Jackson, said the star was feeling "very positive" despite the allegations against him. "He's fine. He's fighting mad, that's what he is. He's outraged at these allegations. But he is doing fine," Backerman said.
Media reports have said Jackson's alleged victim is a 12 or 13-year-old cancer survivor who has visited him at Neverland.
In chart news, Michael Jackson has topped the UK album chart with his latest release. Jackson's Number Ones release beat Busted into second place, while Kylie Minogue's new album Body Language made its initial chart entry at No 6.
