The mayor of Providence, Rhode Island, is calling for the removal of a mural honoring Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, whose killing on a North Carolina train drew national attention and renewed debate over crime policies, as reported by The New York Post.
The mural, which remains unfinished, is located on the exterior of The Dark Lady, an LGBTQ+ club in downtown Providence, according to WJAR-TV.
The project has also been linked to financial backing from Elon Musk, who previously expressed support for memorializing Zarutska.
JUST IN: Democrat Mayor of Providence, RI Brett Smiley, is calling for a mural of Iryna Zarutska which is the middle of being painted in the city to be TAKEN DOWN
He’s tagged here so let him know what you think @PVDMayor pic.twitter.com/EgTjW3vVwN
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) March 30, 2026
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Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said through his office that he wants the artwork taken down, describing the project as divisive.
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“The murder of the individual depicted in this mural was a devastating tragedy, but the misguided, isolating intent of those funding murals like the one across the county is divisive and does not represent Providence,” Smiley said in a statement.
Smiley added that he continues to:
“encourage our community to support local artists whose work brings us closer together rather than divide us.”
The mural was started by artist Ian Gaudreau, who began work on the piece last week. Gaudreau told WJAR-TV that the project was never intended to carry a political message and was meant as a tribute.
BREAKING: Democratic Mayor of Providence, RI, Brett Smiley is demanding the removal of a mural honoring slain refugee Iryna Zarutska, claiming it “divides us” simply because @elonmusk donated to the project.
The downtown mural honoring the murdered woman remains unfinished as… pic.twitter.com/ctULnusjYd
— I Meme Therefore I Am (@ImMeme0) March 30, 2026
Zarutska, 23, had fled Ukraine following Russia’s invasion before relocating to the United States. She was killed last year while riding the Lynx Blue Line light rail in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Authorities said the attack was unprovoked. The suspect, Decarlos Brown Jr., 34, has been charged with violence against a railroad carrier and mass transportation system resulting in death, a federal capital offense.
Only the DEATH PENALTY would be justice for 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska who was butchered on a Charlotte light rail. Fled from Ukraine for a safer life in America and was murdered by 34 year old Decarlos Brown Jr who had been arrested and released 14 times pic.twitter.com/k6S5RIC6iS
— • Angry Frog ™ • (@angrifrog) September 7, 2025
Records from the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction show Brown has prior convictions, including larceny, breaking and entering, and armed robbery. He served a five-year prison sentence beginning in 2015.
The case gained additional attention after President Donald Trump referenced Zarutska’s killing during his State of the Union address last month.
“Iryna was riding home on the train when a deranged monster, who had been arrested over a dozen times and was released through no-cash bail, stood up and viciously slashed a knife through her neck and body,” Trump said.
“She had escaped a brutal war only to be slain by a hardened criminal set free to kill in America,” he added. “Ms. Zarutska, tonight I promise you we will secure justice for your magnificent daughter.”
President Trump honors Mrs. Zarutska following the tragic loss of her daughter, Iryna, who was killed in a violent attack while riding a light rail train in August 2025@POTUS pic.twitter.com/DDMBVZK5PI
— Turning Point USA (@TPUSA) February 25, 2026
Musk had previously posted on X in September 2025 that he would donate $1 million toward a project to memorialize Zarutska after learning of plans to honor her.
JUST IN: A large mural honoring Iryna Zarutska has been unveiled in San Francisco after Elon Musk and Eoghan McCabe followed through on a pledge to expand the project nationwide.pic.twitter.com/2mqyvP6keu
— Derrick Evans (@DerrickEvans4WV) March 9, 2026
The mural’s location in Providence and the mayor’s call for its removal have added a new layer of attention to the case, which had already sparked discussion about crime and public safety following the fatal stabbing.
Smiley’s office did not immediately respond to a request for additional comment from Fox News Digital.
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