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An American couple allegedly walled off their beach at Santa Clara. Photo: Facebook

An American couple that allegedly walled off a beach in Santa Clara has not only angered neighbors, they also ignited a social media firestorm.

Hundreds of commenters shared their outrage on Facebook after a television station and several online news organizations shared photos of both the apparent property owners and the desecration of the beach.

“Gringo builds ‘border wall’ on Yucatan beach,” is how one local headline translates into English.

Officials from the city of Dzidzantún demanded the entire fence removed. As of today, only the posts and rocks remain.

The property owners reportedly acquired the waterfront property a couple of years ago.

A group of fishermen annoyed by the situation were apparently talked out of pulling down the fence themselves when they complained to authorities.

A few years ago, this same property owner ran a sewage line directly to the water, according to Punto Medio. The owner’s full name was not reported.

The story was shared over 3,600 times on the El Informativo de la Costa Facebook page.

Santa Clara, a small fishing village, is more than an hour east of Progreso.