(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Rhode Island Democrats have found a new target in Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian refugee allegedly murdered by a career criminal in North Carolina.
The murder case against Carlos de Juan Brown Jr., charged with killing Iryna Zarutska, gained national attention and sparked a broader conversation about soft-on-crime policies and whether he should have been behind bars given his prior offenses.
In Providence, Rhode Island, a large mural was painted to honor her life and legacy. However, Providence Mayor Brett Smiley and Rhode Island state Rep. David Morales want it removed.
“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.
He claimed he continued to “encourage our community to support local artists whose work brings us closer together rather than divide us.”
Meanwhile, Morales told a reporter, “We can both agree that this mural behind us does not reflect Providence’s values nor does it reflect the creativity that we would want to see in our city.”
Rep. David Morales (D-RI) says the mural for Iryna Zarutska "does not reflect our values" pic.twitter.com/KL6lrDjl0I
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) March 31, 2026
It isn’t clear what Smiley and Morales meant by their statements. However, the artist behind the mural, Ian Gaudreau, said it was never meant to be political, saying via X that art has an “anti political agenda.”
“I wanted to humanize Iryna,” he added. “The blue shapes symbolize individual points of view, they’re almost strangling her and yet she shines through.”
In a separate post, Gaudreau continued: “I hope that this is what people will take away and put aside all of Put aside all of the political vitriol. Iryna Zarutska was a human being with a mother and father, who are still with us and still grieving.”
My painting of Iryna Zarutska that is being removed after the mayor has declared it divisive pic.twitter.com/Sr7m2UL4KI
— Ian M Gaudreau (@IanGaudrea30195) April 1, 2026
Zarutska had fled Ukraine after the Russian invasion, seeking safety in the U.S., only to be murdered while sitting at a bus stop.
Headline USA exclusively obtained full footage of the stabbing, shedding new light on the brutal attack.
Carlos de Juan Brown Jr. now faces state first-degree murder charges, as well as a federal charge for committing a violent act against a mass transportation system.
