In Providence, Rhode Island, leftist officials Brett Smiley and David Morales, both Democrats, have demanded the removal of a mural honoring Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, who was murdered in 2025. The mural, which received funding from billionaire Elon Musk and highlighted by President Donald Trump, depicts a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee who was stabbed to death while commuting home on a light rail train. However, according to the leftist Providence political establishment, memorializing this innocent woman is considered "divisive" and "misguided". The mayor and state representative, Smiley, argued that the murder was a devastating tragedy but the funding for murals like this is divisive and does not represent Providence. The owners of the LGBT club where the mural is located have since apologized and will move forward with removal.