If there were one thing you'd think literally every sane person in the world could agree on, you might think it'd be that the murder of Iryna Zarutska, an innocent 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee on her way home from work, by a deranged psychotic on a light-rail train is not something on which there are two valid sides to the story. There's evil - a cold-blooded slashing-by-surprise murder of an innocent woman - and...
...well, that's it.
Decarlos Brown Jr. appeared to justify his horrific attack on Iryna Zarutska by accusing her of saying the 'n' word.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) September 10, 2025
"She called me a n****r," extended footage appears to show.
The claim is completely made up, considering video footage shows Zarutska minding her own… pic.twitter.com/ChRNUTg23k
Or so you'd think.
But you haven't met Rhode Island Democrats, then, have you?
A mural memorializing Ms. Zarutska in Providence, Rhode Island, took flak from one of them:
A Rhode Island Democratic state representative is facing blowback on social media after claiming that a mural of Iryna Zarutska, the Ukrainian woman whose brutal murder while riding a North Carolina train sparked national outrage, doesn’t reflect the "values" of the city of Providence.
"Ultimately, we want to make sure that every community member who calls Providence home feels safe," Rep. David Morales told local media about a mural of Zarutska facing calls to be removed from the exterior of an LGBTQ+ club in downtown Providence.
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
Here's the mural in question:
This is the "offensive" mural in question. It is now being removed. pic.twitter.com/xN1bM3jf4h
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) March 31, 2026
It's not just one lone-wolf legislator. The orders come from the top, Providence-wise:
According to reports, Providence Mayor Brett Smiley wanted this mural of Iryna Zarutska removed.
— Vic Mellor For Congress RI (@VicMellorForRI) March 30, 2026
Let that sink in.
A young Ukrainian woman was brutally murdered by a man with a long criminal history, and somehow the mural honoring her became the problem.
Why?
Because stories… pic.twitter.com/GgU2QS7Ui2
Providence's sympathies are pretty obvious - the mural is coming down:
What began as a tribute to honor the slain Ukrainian refugee quickly became a political flashpoint, drawing criticism from local leaders and the community alike.
Artist Ian Gaudreau, speaking to NBC 10 News on Monday afternoon, confirmed the news that the artwork is going to be removed.
"A lot of people voiced their frustrations, and voices were heard, and the work is coming down as a reaction to that," Gaudreau said.
#BREAKING: The painter behind the Iryna Zarutska mural project in Providence says the owners of The Dark Lady have requested the mural be taken down.
— Ryan Medeiros (@RRyanmedeiros) March 30, 2026
The mayor had previously called for it to be removed after online backlash.
More on this coming up tonight on @NBC10 at 5 and 6. pic.twitter.com/3nhi5wmEAf
Rep. Morales pointed to "community values" in voicing his objections.
Remembering that, again, there really isn't, or shouldn't be, two sides to the question of good versus evil, one might wonder what "values" Mayor Smiley and Rep. Morales are flogging?
Other than "some animals are more equal than others", obviously.
Providence, RI allowed multiple privately funded murals around the city in memory of George Floyd, including a formal ceremony and ribbon-cutting for a downtown BLM mural, but when it came to a mural of slain refugee Iryna Zarutska, this is where they decided to draw the line… pic.twitter.com/BR5hgGGLaG
— I Meme Therefore I Am 🇺🇸 (@ImMeme0) March 31, 2026
There's a lesson to people who might want to come from outside the US to America - or at least, Blue America:
Iryna should have crossed the border illegally, committed several felonies, preferably violent, instead of dying at the hands of a cold-blooded murderer on a bus if she wanted to be cared about in a blue city. https://t.co/LEDaASmBwR
— Mary Katharine Ham (@mkhammer) April 1, 2026
I guess the "values" are pretty clear, here.
