Thousands of British Tamils have gathered in London to commemorate Maaveerar Naal, the Tamil day of remembrance.

Taking place at the Wembley Arena in London, thousands of Tamils queued for hours to pay respects and lay flowers before photos of those who gave their lives in the Tamil struggle for liberation.

With queues stretching outside the arena for hours, thousands staged their own service outside the venue, as people continued to join. With the venue at capacity, thousands stood in silence and bowed their heads, whilst some held the gloriosa lily aloft, in remembrance of those who have passed.

Photographs: Tamil Guardian

In a ceremony at the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kathchi (ITAK) offices in Martin Road, Jaffna, TNA MP Mavai Senathirajah led commemorations, as party members gathered to remember lives lost in the Tamil struggle.  With the party offices decorated in red and yellow, the Tamil national colours, members lit deepams and held a moment of silence.

At 18:05 local time, Mr Senathirajah light a flame of remembrance, marking the exact time the first LTTE cadre Lt Shankar died in November 1982.

The Tamil National People's Front commemorated Maaveerar Naal at an event in Jaffna on Friday.

Members of the party, including General Secretary Selvarajah Kajendran, participated in the event.

A remembrance flame was lit at precisely 18:05 local time, the exact time the first LTTE fighter died on this day in 1982.

Photos: Theechudar.com

A clandestine event to remember Tamil fighters was held at the former site of a cemetery in Puthukudiyiruppu.

The cemetery, in which thousands of LTTE fighters were buried, was destroyed by the Sri Lankan state after the end of the armed conflict.

Photos: Tamil Guardian

Fearing reprisals from the Sri Lankan state, several households commemorated the Tamil national remembrance day in secret at their homes.

Photos from the North-East show candles lit to commemorate Maaveerar Naal.

An increased military presence and fear of reprisals had dissuaded many Tamils from participating in the more public events, local sources told the Tamil Guardian on Friday evening.

Photos: Theechsudar.com

Tamils from Kilinochchi gathered at an undisclosed location to commemorate Maaveerar Naal on Friday evening. Sri Lankan intelligence officers were however seen observing the event, theechsudar.com reported.

A sacrificial lamp was lit and gloriosa lilies and candles were placed at a shrine by officials, relatives of those who died and other locals.

Maaveerar Naal was commemorated by the people of Batticaloa on Friday evening at a historic site in Thuraineelavanai.

Several Tamil youths gathered in Manipay today to commemorate Maaveerar Naal.

Tamils living in Doha, Qatar marked Maaveerar Naal alongside Tamils across the world on Friday.

Alongside makeshift graves, dozens of photos of those who died during the struggle for liberation were posted.

Tamil youth in Mullaitivu have commemorated Maaveerar Naal despite facing intense intimidation from Sri Lankan military.

Young people came together on a beach in Mullaitivu to light a commemorative flame at 18.05, a Maaveerar Naal tradition observed in tribute to the exact time of the death of the first LTTE cadre, Lt Shankar.