A police appeal has been launched after graffiti reading "f**k the English", accompanied by a Welsh Dragon motif, was spray-painted on a mini-roundabout in a North Wales seaside town, prompting a Welsh politician to raise concerns of potential "Anglophobia".
The vandalism looks to be in response to a St George's Cross being spray-painted on the same mini-roundabout in the town of Llandudno in August, which the local council had already removed.
The two separate acts come amid various mini-roundabouts and zebra crossings across the UK being painted as part of the controversial St George's Cross and Union Jack campaign.
The organised effort under the name "Operation Raise the Colours" has received backlash that it has stemmed from anti-immigration sentiment.
James Evans MS told GB News: "What we are seeing here is extreme nationalism driven by a small minority in Wales.
"This sort of behaviour is completely unacceptable and does not reflect the views of the vast majority of people in our communities.
"It is being driven by Plaid Cymru politicians and others who are obsessed with breaking up our United Kingdom."
Mr Evans added that the Welsh Labour Government has become obsessed with "doing things differently from the rest of the UK, alongside their anti-tourism and anti-visitor policies, has not helped matters".
The roundabout in Wales
|"Instead of bringing people together, these approaches risk deepening divisions," Mr Evans added.
"I would sincerely hope this is not an indication of Anglophobia, but incidents like this certainly raise concerns."
Mr Evans said instead of "allowing a small minority to drive hatred and division" it was time to celebrate the "close ties between England and Wales".
According to 2021 Census data, 33.6 per cent of people in the town of Llandudno identified as Welsh only, while 20 per cent said they were English only and a further 26.4 per cent indicated they were British only.
James Evans
| Welsh Parliament/Senedd CymruNorth Wales Police described the roundabout graffiti as an "obscene anti-English slogan".
Chief Inspector Trystan Bevan told The Independent that "hate-related offences, including those that target communities or national identities, are taken extremely seriously and will not be tolerated under any circumstances".
"Local enquiries remain ongoing," he said.
"And we are urging anyone who may have seen suspicious activity in the Maesdu Road/Bodnant Road area between August 26 and September 1 to get in touch.
People walk along the pier in Llandudno, Wales
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"We are particularly keen to hear from drivers who may have captured relevant footage on dashcams during that period."
Conwy Council said it would remove the latest graffiti and described the damage as a "waste of public resources".
The increase in use of the St George's Cross flag and the Union Jack have created fears that it could stoke division in communities.
Labour MP Clive Lewis has said people flying the St George's Cross are "extremists" trying to "mark territory".
Llandudno is almost evenly split between Welsh, English and British identifying locals
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He criticised those hanging the England flag and Norfolk County Council for failing to remove the flags that were put up on lampposts around the Brook Hotel in Bowthorpe.
The hotel has been subject to several protests and counter-protests in recent weeks over its accommodation for asylum seekers.
Mr Lewis said: "Most people say they fly the St George's Cross out of pride - and that's probably even true for some of those putting them on lampposts.
"But far‑right groups are using these flags to mark territory and intimidate the vast majority who reject their extreme views."