Welsh independence activists have owned up to defacing road signs in Denbighshire . English place names were covered with spray paint during night-time operations on several bilingual signs. The campaigners obscured the anglicised names "St Asaph", "Ruthin" and "Denbigh", leaving behind only the indigenous Welsh names - Llanelwy, Rhuthun, and Dinbych.
The insignia of the Free Wales Army - a Welsh nationalist paramilitary organisation formed in 1963 - was added to one of the signs. Another sign was emblazoned with a sticker saying "Ble mae'r Gymraeg?" (Where is the Welsh?). Mudiad Eryr Wen, a radical Welsh youth movement established in December 2022, has taken credit for the vandalism.
The organisation, which advocates for an independent Welsh republic and for the preservation of the Welsh language, said it wants to see "imposed English place names" removed from all road signs across Wales, reports North Wales Live . For the latest Welsh news delivered to your inbox sign up to our newsletter READ MORE: One of the UK's most beautiful beaches could be closed to the public - and it's caused a huge debate READ MORE: Boy in hospital after being 'dragged like rag doll' in XL Bully attack A representative of the group said that reclaiming anglicised village, town and city names is the starting point for restoring Wales' rich linguistic heritage. They explained: "We believe it to be necessary and reasonable to remove imposed English place names from road signs within Wales.
As is ofte.