Fascist daubing on church wall was 'national and religious blasphemy' says ex-MP

Martin Shipton

A former Welsh Labour MP has described the scrawling of neo-fascist graffiti on a church wall in Townhill, Swansea as an example of "national and religious blasphemy."

Geraint Davies, who represented Swansea West from 2010 to 2024, compared the incident to the bombing of the city during World War Two.

Writing on Facebook, Mr Davies said: “Eighty four years after Nazis blitzed Townhill, a swastika has been daubed on a church even though the Nazis killed 230 people, injured almost 400 and left Swansea centre in ruins in their three-night raid in 1941.

“Around 56,000 incendiary bombs and 89 tonnes of high-explosive bombs were dropped and my mother Betty witnessed the Swansea blitz. The raging fires in Townhill could be seen from the other side of the Bristol Channel in Devon. Another witness, Hazel Tomalin, said: ‘The sight of these incendiaries coming down, it was incredible, because we were looking at Townhill, and Townhill was looking across at us.’

“Entire streets were flattened, including Teilo Street in Mayhill, set ablaze by incendiary bombs and 41 acres of Swansea’s centre was wiped out. Let’s remind those who daubed this obscene graffiti of what they are supporting.

“The Z [which was also daubed on the church] is a Russian pro-war emblem supporting the invasion of Ukraine.

“It appears the culprits want to associate the swastika and the Russian Z with the Welsh flag and Christian cross in a case of national and religious blasphemy.”

Saddened

The Catholic Archbishop of Cardiff-Menevia Mark O’Toole said: “I was very saddened to hear of the racist graffiti on one of our churches over the weekend. We are grateful to those who quickly painted over it.

“Thankfully nobody in the community was hurt by this act of vandalism and the parish priest and the Catholic community know that such views are not widespread in south Wales.

“We pray for a deeper tolerance across the whole of our society and that those drawn to such acts may be converted to respect all races and faiths.”

Commenting on Mr Davies’s Facebook post, Scott Cameron-Baker of Swansea said: “My grandparents loved Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church.They were regulars for donkey’s years. They would both be turning in their graves at this.”

It is thought the graffiti was daubed on the church walls on the night of Saturday November 15.

A South Wales Police spokesperson said: "Police were called at 10:30am on Sunday, November 16, to reports of racist graffiti at Our Lady of Lourdes, Townhill, Swansea. Investigations into the graffiti are ongoing."