BLM Posts Controversial Video Following Murder of Ukrainian Refugee

On Wednesday, the official Black Lives Matter Instagram account shared a brief video that seems to justify violent responses after the murder of a Ukrainian refugee on August 22. Iryna Zarutska, who had been working at a local pizza place, was attacked by DeCarlos Brown while returning home on the Charlotte Light Rail. Brown has a notable criminal history. The BLM account posted a 15-second clip from the 1983 film *Born in Flames*, taken from a collection on her “Movie Off Call” Instagram page, before it was promptly removed.

In the clip, a character named Zera states, “We have the right to violence. All the oppressed people have the right to violence. And I want to tell you something, it’s like the right to pee. You could have the right place. You could have the right time. You could have the right situation.”

Multiple screenshots capturing the clips have been taken by the Daily Caller News Foundation.

Instagram describes its movie feature as a platform to “celebrate every aspect of filmmaking through the creators of color and its representation, and to express it on-screen representation.”

In a video released by the Charlotte Transit Authority, Brown can be heard saying, “I got that white girl,” as other passengers eventually intervened to assist Zarutska.

The incident gained traction on social media after authorities released the footage. Even Elon Musk made multiple posts discussing the murder on X, sharing insights from other users.

Conservative commentators on social media have noted the disparity in coverage between this case and that of Jordan Neely, who died in a confrontation with former Marine Daniel Penny on May 1, 2023. Neely also had a lengthy arrest record. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg had charged Penny with involuntary manslaughter, but he was acquitted by a judge in December 2024.