A mural honoring Iryna Zarutska, who was stabbed to death in North Carolina, was to be painted on the side of the building that houses The Dark Lady, the popular LGBTQ bar in Providence, RI. But the project was stopped and subsequently moved amid growing allegations that it was part of a controversial national campaign reportedly backed by Elon Musk.
The mural is now going up outside a Lebanese restaurant on Federal Hill, a move facilitated by the city’s Mayor Brett Smiley after it became clear Zarutska’s tragic murder had been appropriated as a rallying cry for national conservatives falsely holding Democratic leadership responsible for crime in cities.
Dark Lady owners Rande Diantuono and Buck Asprinio issued a statement on the decision to stop the mural’s production:
“This specific mural was created for our community to honor Iryna’s memory, mental wellness, LGBTQIA+ rights, immigration, the war, unity and anti-Trump policies. The project is temporarily paused. We will be releasing the final rendering of the project to the public for the TRUE meaning to be understood. We’re sorry for the chaos this has caused. We are progressive Democrats, we do not support Donald Trump or politics of division, and our values are deeply rooted in inclusion, equality, and respect.”
Reports WJAR NBC-TV 10:
“Where are the murals for everyone that died for Black Lives Matter? I haven’t seen any of those,” club-goer Lex Conaway said.
Zarutska’s death has become a flashpoint in national political discourse. Pres. Donald Trump and other prominent conservatives have pointed to her death as a consequence of lenient courts and politicians in Democrat-run cities.
Additionally, billionaire Elon Musk is funding a sizeable portion of the nationwide mural project, which spans from New York to California.
“He can support a white woman in America,” Conaway said. “What about the Black women in America that are dying every day on the streets?”
The artist, Ian Gaudreau, said he was moved by Zarutska’s story after a friend shared a post about the mural initiative.