A Rhode Island Democratic state representative sparked widespread backlash after publicly opposing a mural honoring Iryna Zarutska, the 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee who was stabbed to death aboard a Charlotte, North Carolina light rail train.
Rep. David Morales spoke to local media outside the mural, which is painted on the exterior of an LGBTQ+ club in downtown Providence.
Morales stated that the mural does not represent the city’s values.
“Ultimately, we want to make sure that every community member who calls Providence home feels safe,” Morales told reporters.
“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,” Morales said.
The remarks drew immediate condemnation from conservatives across the country after the conservative influencer account End Wokeness shared the video on X, where it accumulated over one million views.
Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, who has been reported to have involvement in the mural project, responded directly to the controversy. “What are his values?” Musk posted on X.
Red State writer Bonchie criticized Morales’s reasoning for opposing the tribute.
“He cites people wanting to be ‘safe’ as a reason to destroy a mural on a private building meant to honor a murdered woman,” Bonchie posted on X.
“You can’t imagine how crazy Democrats are in these blue bastions. You think what you see on MSNBC is nuts? It’s even worse in their bubble cities.”
Defending Education communications director Erika Sanzi also weighed in.
“Honoring the memory of a Ukrainian immigrant who had her throat slit on public transportation by a repeat offender with 14 prior arrests doesn’t reflect Providence’s values????” Sanzi said on X.
Republican Rep. Chip Roy joined the chorus of critics with a pointed question. “What ‘value’ does the mural not reflect?” Roy posted on X.
Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts connected Zarutska’s death to broader policy concerns.
“Iryna’s death highlights the consequences of warped policies that keep violent criminals out of jail,” Roberts posted on X.
“Memorializing her reminds us that those policies create more victims and should be eliminated. Telling that those aren’t Rep. Morales’ ‘values.’”
Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz added his own pointed criticism.
“True,” Cruz penned on X. “Dems would prefer a mural celebrating her murderer.”
GOP strategist Mehek Cooke raised a comparison. “Providence had a George Floyd mural and nobody called it divisive,” Cooke posted on X.
“Iryna got murdered by a man arrested over a dozen times, and a city couldn’t let her face stay on a wall because the donor list was inconvenient. We means-test grief now.”
Resist the Mainstream previously reported that Zarutska fled Ukraine following the Russian invasion and came to the United States as a refugee.
She was killed in an unprovoked attack while riding the Lynx Blue Line light rail in Charlotte last year.
Federal authorities charged suspect Decarlos Brown Jr., 34, with violence against a railroad carrier and mass transportation system resulting in death, a charge that carries the possibility of capital punishment under federal law.
North Carolina Department of Adult Correction records show Brown has a prior criminal history that includes convictions for larceny, breaking and entering, and armed robbery.
He served five years in prison beginning in 2015.
Zarutska’s killing drew national attention to criminal justice policies in Democratic-led cities.
President Donald Trump referenced the case during his State of the Union address.
“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,” Trump said.
