OAN Staff Katherine Mosack
9:07 AM – Wednesday, April 1, 2026
A mural depicting slain Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska in Providence, Rhode Island, is to be removed after being deemed “divisive” by Democrat politicians in the state and city.
The project began as a tribute to honor the 23-year-old who escaped Russia’s war in Ukraine only to be fatally stabbed on a Charlotte, North Carolina, light rail train in August. However, it quickly became a political target, drawing backlash from local leaders.
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley (D-R.I.) questioned the intentions of those who funded the art piece.
“The murder of the individual depicted in this mural was a devastating tragedy, but the misguided, isolating intent of those funding murals like this across the country is divisive and does not represent Providence,” Smiley said in a statement to ABC 3340. “I continue to encourage our community to support local artists whose work brings us closer together rather than further divides us.”
State Representative David Morales (D-R.I.), who is also running for mayor, seemed to agree with the incumbent, declaring that the mural was misaligned with the city’s values.
“We’re seeing a right-wing movement that is exploiting the death of the refugee for the purposes of trying to spread division,” Morales said. “Ultimately, we want to make sure that every community member that calls Providence home feels safe … and we can both agree that this mural behind us does not reflect Providence’s values.”
In September, shortly after a video of Zarutska’s tragic death spread rapidly online, Intercom CEO Eoghan McCabe announced he would pledge $500,000 in increments of $10,000 grants to paint murals of her face in “prominent U.S. city locations.”
Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk responded with his own offer to contribute $1 million to the effort. Influencer Andrew Tate added another $1 million to the fund.
Artist Ian Gaudreau, speaking to NBC 10 News on Monday, confirmed where the painting’s funding came from and that the project was discontinued.
“A lot of people voiced their frustrations, and voices were heard, and the work is coming down as a reaction to that,” Gaudreau said.
“The mural was funded by a nonprofit organization that was mostly funded by Elon Musk, that is a fact,” he added.
Despite the pushback he received, he clarified that his intentions were not to stir up political turmoil, but to remind people of Zarutska’s humanity amid the politicized conversations surrounding her death.
“I want everybody to know that my intention with the mural was to lower the temperature,” he said.
“All of this political vitriol being kicked up has removed Iryna’s humanity from her story,” Gaudreau said. “And I think we’d all do better to remember that.”
The artist responded directly to Mayor Smiley’s comments on Instagram, expressing his disappointment in the interpretation of his art piece.
“As the artist I’m very saddened to hear that the mayor is calling for the art work to be removed before I was allowed to finish speaking,” he wrote on the social platform on Monday. “I would like everyone to know that the artwork is meant to combat the idea of it being used for a political agenda. I want the Mural to humanize Iryna.”
On Wednesday, he shared a petition to save his mural, even if it meant moving it to a different wall.
The painting is currently unfinished on the exterior of a gay bar called The Dark Lady. Its owners shared a message with NBC 10 confirming the decision to remove the paint.
“We are deeply and sincerely sorry for everything that has taken place over the past week,” the statement read. “After reflecting and learning, we have made the decision to discontinue this project and will move forward with removal as soon as possible.”
The suspect in Zarutska’s killing, 34-year-old Decarlos Dejuan Brown Jr., had been released from prison on cashless bail 14 times, according to President Donald Trump, who called out Democrat policies in North Carolina for facilitating the random attack by being soft on crime.
Stay informed! Receive breaking news alerts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts
What do YOU think? Click here to jump to the comments!
Sponsored Content Below
