Mural to murdered Ukrainian refugee is torn down despite campaign to save it

Construction workers arrived at The Dark Lady, a gay bar in Providence, Rhode Island on Tuesday to take down the partially completed artwork.

The canvas mural was lowered, folded and removed from the premises, according to WJAR-TV.

Artist Ian Gaudreau confirmed the decision to remove his work came in response to local left-wing outrage.

"A lot of people voiced their frustrations, and voices were heard, and the work is coming down as a reaction to that," he told the broadcaster.

Mayor Brett Smiley made clear his desire for the artwork's removal, claiming it was "divisive and does not represent Providence".

"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," Mr Smiley told Fox News.

The Mayor urged residents to instead champion local artists "whose work brings us closer together rather than divide us".

The mural itself had formed part of an ambitious nationwide project backed by prominent US tech figures.

Intercom chief executive Eoghan McCabe announced in September 2025 that he would contribute $500,000 to fund 50 memorial murals across America in Ms Zarutska's honour.

Within a day, Mr McCabe confirmed that funding had been secured for 300 murals, with some 800 artists expressing interest in participating.

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Elon Musk subsequently responded to Mr McCabe's post by pledging an additional $1million towards the initiative.

Anthony D’Ellena, a Rhode Island GOP field organiser, had launched a campaign to save the mural from being torn down in the wake of the Providence Mayor's controversial remarks.

The Republican started a Change.org petition - which saw more than 16,000 people throw their support behind keeping the memorial.

Speaking to GB News last month, Mr D'Ellena accused Democrat leadership of trying to “shut down the reminder” of the killing.

“Mayor Smiley claims the mural is ‘divisive.’ No, Mayor - the murder was divisive," he told the People's Channel.

“The failure to protect innocent people is divisive. The instinct to erase the memorial instead of face the truth is what tells people everything they need to know about where the Democratic party’s priorities truly lie.”

“She fled the horrors of war in Ukraine seeking safety and freedom in America, the land of opportunity, only to be brutally murdered in a random, unprovoked attack by a career criminal who should never have been on the streets,” he added.

Killer Decarlos Brown Jr, 34, has an extensive criminal record which includes convictions for larceny, breaking and entering, and armed robbery.

The President, during his State of the Union address earlier this year, also voiced his fury at Brown Jr's attack.

"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," Mr Trump said.

The President had invited Ms Zarutska's mother Anna to watch his address.

As he described her death in detail to American lawmakers, Anna wept - and was comforted by Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika.

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