comments A Rhode Island mayor has called for the removal of a 'divisive' mural that depicts slain Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska. Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said the community wants the unfinished mural removed after it was revealed the project was funded by Elon Musk and Andrew Tate. 'The murder of the individual depicted in this mural was a devastating tragedy, but the misguided, isolating intent of those funding murals like the one across the county is I continue to encourage our community to support local artists whose work brings us closer together rather than divide us,' Smiley said. Smiley's objection to the mural - which was being painted on the side of a local gay bar called The Dark Lady - comes after the controversial figures donated to a fund devoted to 'honoring' Zarutska. Musk and Tate pledged to commit money after Intercom CEO Eoghan McCabe declared on X in September that he was 'offering $500k in $10k grants to paint murals of the face of Iryna Zarutska in prominent US city locations.' McCabe left a contact email and mentioned that anyone who would like to contribute should do so. The mayor's office has pointed out that the mural was not commissioned, funded nor registered with the city. The Democrat mayor of Providence, Rhode Island has called for the removal of a mural to honor slain Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska and called its funders, including Elon Musk, 'divisive' The mural was left unfinished as Mayor Brett Smiley confirmed that they wanted it erased from the side of a local gay bar called The Dark Lady An artist fund devoted to creating murals to honor slain Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska (pictured) has received hefty donations from divisive figures Artist Ian Gaudreau told NBC10 that it was a shame to see the mural politicized, which went against his intentions. 'I think everybody was pretty moved by the way that she was just so publicly murdered,' Gaudreau. 'Just the fear in her eyes and the fact that nobody came to hold her hand while she took her last breaths was just pretty horrific.' Gaudreau noted that the project is largely funded by Musk and a collection of online donors. 'I hope that this is what people will take away and put aside all of the political vitriol. Iryna Zarutska was a human being with a mother and father, who are still with us and still grieving,' he said on Instagram. The owners of The Dark Lady, Randy and Buck, said the mural was meant to honor both Zarutska and a slate of liberal causes in a statement. '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,' they said. However, they confirmed it was on pause until they could show the public the final renderings so its 'true meaning' could be known. Smiley's objection to the mural appears to come from its links to a fund devoted to creating art to honor Zarutska that received contributions from Musk and Andrew Tate Artist Ian Gaudreau said that it was a shame to see the mural politicized, which went against his intentions View this post on Instagram