Anglesey has been left reeling by the “mutilation” of a small but popular beach cove. People across the island were left fuming when three foreign-sounding words were sprayed in large letters on cliffs at Porth y Santes at Porth Swtan (Church Bay).
The graffiti was labelled “mindless and idiotic” and residents queued up to condemn the defacing of a cove best known for its sea arch. There was also consternation that the island may have been used for political sloganeering – though no one is quite sure what the words mean.
Almost immediately, offers flooded into help remove the graffiti. Residents pledged to roll up their sleeves, professional cleaners volunteered their services and Anglesey Council was put on alert and are now investigating.
Porth y Santes, which translates as “Gate of the Saints”, is overshadowed by its neighbour, the much larger sand and rock beach of Porth Swtan. But it is held fondly by many on Anglesey who love its tranquility - if not the “bum surfing” that’s sometimes needed to descend the steep-sided cove.
Irrespective of the location, and political context, this week’s graffiti has left people saddened by the desecration of natural features on Anglesey Heritage Coast in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. On social media, a regular visitor said: “Heartbreaking to see one of my favourite beautiful local coves mutilated.”
Another woman added: “So very disrespectful to this beautiful island and its surrounding.” A third said: “Swtan is such a lovely little cove. How anyone could do this I do not know.”
Most were just shocked. “What the absolute heck!” fumed one local. Another pleaded: “Why? Just why?” Other comments included: “Omg what next? Terrible people around.” Join the North Wales Live WhatsApp community group where you can get the latest stories delivered straight to your phone
Sprayed green, near the shoreline, was the word “Uzbek”. This appears to be a reference to an ethnic group native to central Asia, mostly in Uzbekistan. The two other words left people scratching their heads.
Also in green was “Diyor”. Commonly, this means “motherland” or “homeland” in Arabic. In Kurdish it means “gift”, while the Urban Dictionary descibes it as an “amazing or beautiful person”. In Uzbekistan, the name is often given to boys.
Painted in purple higher up the beach was the word “shox”. In Iraq this means “gorgeous” or “beautiful”. Lots of places in Uzbekistan use the word, which the Urban Dictionary defines as “awesome beyond perfection”. Pictures of the vandalism can be found here.
At face value, the graffiti appears to be an expression of someone’s affection for their home country. But for many people on the island, homesickness is not an excuse for vandalism. “Mindless morons!” said one man. Get the best island stories from our Anglesey newsletter - sent every Friday
Others pointed out that graffiti of all types is ubiquitous. It’s appeared at other Anglesey coastal spots, from Porth Wen Brickworks near Llanbadrig, to Soldiers Point House in Holyhead. Painted scrawls and tags have appeared at Baron Hill Manor, Beaumaris, Penrhos Coastal Park and the A55 Britannia Bridge. “It’s everywhere,” said one woman. “But seeing in a beach on Anglesey is quite unsettling.”
Graffiti has been newly daubed at Amlwch Port. Meanwhile, a Holyhead man complained online: “The town has been painted in lovely colours and there are some people going around putting graffiti on the buildings – they need to stop what they are doing.”
For all the offers of help, there’s a worry that removing the words from cliffs at Porth y Santes won’t be easy – and that it will leave a permanent stain on the cove. “I’ve been visiting Porth Swtan for 50 years and this is the first time I have seen anything like this,” said one woman. “It’s appalling. Sign of the times!”
An Anglesey County Council spokesperson said: "This matter had not previously been brought to our attention. However, we will send a member of our Maritime team to investigate and clean the graffiti if possible."
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