Halle Berry urges her fans to help immigrant whose shop was destroyed in LA protests

Berry encouraged her followers on Twitter to donate to Harounian's GoFundMe, which features updates from his son.

Published: 03rd June 2020 12:06 PM  |   Last Updated: 03rd June 2020 12:06 PM   |  A+A A-

Halle Berry arrives at The Hollywood Foreign Press Association's Annual Grants Banquet at the Beverly Wilshire hotel

Halle Berry |AP

By PTI

LOS ANGELES: Hollywood star Halle Berry has urged her followers to help out an elderly immigrant who lost his store during the protests against police brutality in the US.

Ned Harounian's clothing store was looted and burned down last week after protests erupted across Los Angeles over the custodial killing of 46-year-old George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Berry encouraged her followers on Twitter to donate to Harounian's GoFundMe, which features updates from his son.

"An immigrant business owner in his 80s had his Melrose store looted then burned, and his recently deceased wife's jewelry stolen. Things are crazy right now, but I hope we can all take a minute to help this man out!! Donate if you can," the Oscar winner posted on Twitter.

Harounian's son Ebbi, who set up the GoFundMe page, thanked the actor for her support.

"Thank you for the support Halle Berry! It means so much having your support," he wrote on the page.

Ebbi had earlier detailed how his father's shop in the Melrose district was looted and burned down on May 30 as protests passed through the area.

"81 year old immigrant father, Ned Harounian, still grieving the recent loss of his wife, who died after a battle with pancreatic cancer, lost his livelihood when his Melrose shop was violently robbed and burned to the ground.

He immigrated to the the US, with his family, in 1985.

"For over 30 years he poured everything he had into his business and community. After the recent death of his wife, the store was not only his source of income, but also his safe haven. The LA Melrose community is family to him and he to them. He has been violated, ripped of his life's work, support and community, devastating," Ebbi wrote. The GoFundMe page has so far raised over USD 47,000.