Mural honoring murdered Ukrainian refugee TAKEN DOWN after Rhode Island mayor led the charge for its removal

By JAMES CIRRONE, US NEWS REPORTER and STEPHEN M. LEPORE, US SENIOR REPORTER Published: 02:39, 14 May 2026 | Updated: 02:42, 14 May 2026 A mural in Providence, Rhode Island, that depicted slain Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska was taken down. The piece of artwork had been hung on the side of a building that houses the Dark Lady, a gay bar. It was removed after sustained calls from Providence Mayor Brett Smiley and other officials to take it down. They were upset that the project had been funded by Elon Musk and Andrew Tate. '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 country is I continue to encourage our community to support local artists whose work brings us closer together rather than divide us,' Smiley said. Musk and Tate pledged to commit money after Intercom CEO Eoghan McCabe declared on X in September that he was 'offering $500k in $10k grants to paint murals of the face of Iryna Zarutska in prominent US city locations.' On Tuesday afternoon, construction crews were seen taking down the mural. It was then lowered to the ground, rolled up and taken away to be put up somewhere else. 'Having the mural come down is definitely a sad moment. We wanted it to have a home downtown Providence,' mural artist Ian Gaudreau told WJAR-TV. 'I believe it should have stayed up,' one resident said. 'I had no problem with the mural. I thought it was beautiful.' Pictured: Workers take down Iryna Zarutska mural. It had been up on the side of the building housing gay bar the Dark Lady Mayor Brett Smiley and others had complained that the mural was funded by Elon Musk and Andrew Tate An artist fund devoted to creating murals to honor slain Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska (pictured) had received hefty donations from Musk and others Gaudreau said he wished that people could have separated the artwork from its funding source. 'I think a lot of people are not even taking the time to look at the art and think about what it might mean,' he said. A representative for Gaudreau said he is preparing to reinstall the mural elsewhere. The precise location is not known yet. Zarutska, 23, was riding the train in Charlotte, North Carolina when a crazed attacker snuck up on her from behind and stabbed her to death on August 22. The refugee who fled her war-torn home in 2022 bled to death with fear in her eyes as onlookers did nothing to intervene.  Prosecutors identified the cold-blooded culprit as career criminal Decarlos Brown Jr., 34, who blamed his despicably violent actions to a schizophrenic episode.  In the weeks following Zarutska's gut-wrenching death, prominent - and controversial - individuals have offered financial backing for art pieces in her memory.   Zarutska was on her way home from work at Zepeddie's pizzeria in south Charlotte when she was stabbed three times in her neck and hands. Artist Ian Gaudreau said that it was a shame to see the mural politicized, which went against his intentions Musk pledged to commit money after Intercom CEO Eoghan McCabe declared on X in September that he was 'offering $500k in $10k grants to paint murals of the face of Iryna Zarutska in prominent US city locations' Horrific footage captured the moment Ukrainian refugee Zarutska (pictured) was stabbed to death from behind as she sat on a train in Charlotte, North Carolina, on August 22  She was not even on the train for five minutes before she was killed.  Zepeddie's posted a tribute to the devoted worker, writing: 'We lost not only an incredible employee, but a true friend. 'Our dear Iryna left this world far too soon, and our hearts are heavy with grief. 'Since her passing, we have kept a candle burning in her memory - a small reminder of the warmth, kindness, and light she brought into our lives every single day.' In her obituary, family said that before starting her new life in the US, Iryna graduated from Synergy College in Kyiv with a degree in Art and Restoration.  She was described as an adventurous young woman who adored animals and traveling.  'She shared her creativity generously, gifting family and friends with her artwork,' they said.  No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. 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