Pam Cameron MLA welcomes local support for iMAJ Turkish Barbers following racist attack
Pam Cameron MLA has met with the co-owner of iMAJ Turkish Barbers in Ballyclare, following the recent racially motivated attack on the business.
Mrs Cameron spoke directly with Ozer about the incident and the strong response from the local community in the days since.
She said Ozer and fellow co-owner Umit have been inundated with messages of support and encouragement after the shop front was damaged. A GoFundMe page has also been set up to help with the cost of repairs.
Following her visit, Mrs Cameron said: “It was lovely to catch up with Ozer today and to hear directly from him about the outpouring of local support he and Umit have received following this disgraceful attack.
“There is absolutely no place for racism or intimidation in Ballyclare or anywhere in Northern Ireland. iMAJ Turkish Barbers is a valued local business and I know many people across the town have been shocked and angered by what happened.
“Ozer spoke very warmly about the support he and Umit have received. He also explained that once the repair costs have been covered, they intend to donate remaining funds to local football teams they have supported in the past and to Stephen Ogilvie, the victim of the horrific north Belfast knife attack.
“That speaks volumes about their character and their commitment to giving back to the community, even after such a distressing incident.
“I was very encouraged to hear that iMAJ Turkish Barbers will be reopening very soon once repairs have taken place. I wish Ozer, Umit and the team every success as they get the business back open and I would encourage the local community to continue showing them their support.”