Elon Musk-funded mural of murdered Ukrainian refugee went up in Brooklyn — and local lefties are furious

A new mural of slain Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, partially funded by Elon Musk, has appeared on a Brooklyn building — sparking controversy among local residents.

The three-story painting, located on the corner of Jefferson Avenue and Evergreen Street in Bushwick, depicts Zarutska, who gained national attention after she was fatally stabbed on a train in Charlotte, North Carolina, last August by a homeless ex-convict. The mural is part of a project launched by conservative tech CEO Eoghan McCabe to honor the 23-year-old aspiring artist with murals in multiple U.S. cities. McCabe told The Post that he wanted to highlight how crime in liberal-leaning areas can have tragic consequences.

“I started this campaign to make sure that the story of Iryna does not disappear. Her murder is at the nexus of many issues plaguing American society. For example, one is the progressive approach to crime,” McCabe said.

McCabe, who runs the AI company Intercom, donated $500,000 to the initiative and raised an additional $1 million from Musk, according to a spokeswoman. Another $200,000 came from smaller donors. The murals, including one on the building that houses the Taiwanese dumpling restaurant Formosa, initially received praise from those moved by Zarutska’s story.

“Beautiful! What a lovely tribute to a beautiful girl and a beautiful life! RIP Iryna! I’m so sorry the USA failed you!” wrote a Facebook user sharing images of the murals in Washington D.C., Miami, and Los Angeles.

However, the campaign also sparked backlash. Some local residents criticized the project on social media, calling the murals politically motivated and accusing the organizers of using Zarutska’s story to push a right-wing agenda.

“This needs to come down. Of course she deserves to be memorialized, but using her memory to stoke racial tensions is sick. The motivation behind this is evil,” one commenter wrote. Others questioned why Musk and McCabe chose Brooklyn for the mural.

Joe, a 42-year-old local graphic artist, said, “A lot of people around here don’t like him, so maybe this is his way to use his money to stick it to us. Go find somewhere else where they support you and your politics.”

Dylan Goodwin, 38, who works in film, said he admired the artwork by Connecticut-based artist Ben Keller but disliked the involvement of Musk.

McCabe, who has donated to President Trump’s campaign, has previously attracted attention for his conservative positions, including controversial comments advocating for public executions of violent criminals. Regarding Zarutska’s murder, he said, “The vast majority of violent crime is perpetrated by a very small fraction of the population. When cities refuse to incarcerate these people, they get a lot more violent crime. Iryna’s killer had been arrested 14 times before he executed her.”

Despite criticism, McCabe said the mural project has received broad support across the political spectrum. Some residents have praised the campaign as a meaningful tribute.

“I’m happy that she is being remembered. Hopefully it serves as a reminder not only of the sweet girl she was but the importance of protecting innocents from senseless acts of violence,” one Facebook user commented. Another suggested placing a mural along the train line in North Carolina where Zarutska was killed.

Decarlos Brown Jr., who has a lengthy criminal record and a history of mental illness, was arrested immediately after Zarutska’s fatal stabbing.

A representative for Musk did not respond to requests for comment.

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