Simply put, some things should transcend politics. But in a country where Democrats have a seriously bad case of Trump Derangement Syndrome, mountains must be made out of molehills, right is wrong and wrong is right, and victims of violent crimes can only be honored if their crime fits leftist narratives.
That’s where we are with Rhode Island, which has been a hotbed of anti-Trump activity since he took office for his second term, especially on the issue of illegal immigration, which has seen some woke state lawmakers openly threaten immigration enforcement officers.
ICE’s presence in cities like Providence and the removal flights that have taken off from Portsmouth have led to outrage among Democrat officials and far-left woketivists, the latter of whom have staged street protests, set up tip lines, and stakeouts where they try to locate ICE vehicles and allegedly give them no choice but to leave.
SEE ALSO: ‘Coward’: DHS Has a FAFO Message for Woke Rhode Island Dem After Disturbing Threat Against ICE
More recently, however, the absolute state of things for the Democrat Party has been seen in Rhode Island, incredibly, in response to the painting of a mural of Iryna Zarutska, the 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee who came to America for a better life but who was stabbed to death on Charlotte’s light rail system in August, allegedly by a man who – though not an illegal immigrant – is a violent repeat offender.
It was painted on the side of an LGBTQ club with their permission. In turn, this caused outrage among the purportedly “tolerant” leftist community members, including the city’s Democrat mayor, Brett Smiley, who wanted the mural, which is not yet completed, taken down:
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley has called for it to be removed. But he has not spoken to the owners of the club. In his statement, Smiley said:
“The murder of the individual depicted in this mural was a devastating tragedy, but the misguided, isolating intent of those funding murals like this across the country is divisive and does not represent Providence. I continue to encourage our community to support local artists whose work brings us closer together rather than further divides us.”
Providence Mayor Smiley calls for removal of a mural honoring 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska who was brutally stabbed to death on a train in Charlotte last summer. The Mayor called it “divisive.” Not sure what is divisive about a mural honoring a woman stabbed to death by a career…
— Brooke Taylor (@Brooketaylortv) March 30, 2026
Part of the apparent “issue” is that a large part of the funding for the mural came from Elon Musk.
The Dark Lady LGBTQ club took so much heat over it that they issued a statement on their Facebook page reminding people that they were, in fact, Democrats who didn’t support President Trump but who nevertheless felt like Zarutska should be honored:
We want to be absolutely clear: we are Democrats. We do not support Donald Trump, his administration, or the politics of division, fear, and exclusion. Our values are progressive, rooted in inclusion, equality, and respect for all people.
We are deeply frustrated that after years of working tirelessly—both in our daily lives and through our businesses—to uphold strong ethical values, we are being criticized for what was a genuine act of kindness and remembrance. The mural isn’t even finished yet, and we hope that upon completion, the community will better understand its purpose.
Unfortunately, the mural won’t get finished. The club bent the knee to the mob and pressure from the mayor, and the mural will be coming down as a result:
“We heard you PVD. We are deeply and sincerely sorry for everything that has taken place over the past week. After reflecting and learning, we have made the decision to discontinue this project and will move forward with removal as soon as possible. We remain committed to fostering unity, safety, and care for all members of our community, and we will continue to listen, learn, and act with those values at the forefront.”
#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.
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
— Ryan Medeiros (@RRyanmedeiros) March 30, 2026
For the record, here are the kinds of murals that are acceptable in Providence, RI, though:
Huge shoutout to Kendel Joseph for this beautiful George Floyd mural today. From Kendel: “Thank you @AS220 and @AvenuePVD and all of y’all who came out and showed support. I’m glad you enjoy. This was made for the community, and maybe it can bring you some peace. #georgefloyd” pic.twitter.com/lCHy1u0TyM
— AS220 (@AS220) June 5, 2020
There was also a “Say Their Names” mural, featuring the following names: George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, and David McAtee.
Democrats just held “No Kings” rallies across the country. But apparently that rule doesn’t apply to the “kings” like Mayor Smiley who run blue cities, nor do their statements of supposed compassion extend to murder victims who might still be alive if it weren’t for the type of soft-on-crime Democrats we see running places like Providence.
Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.
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