Mounties have been notified about disturbing and hateful graffiti that was found at the entrance of a Surrey high school Tuesday morning. 

A large swastika and a racial slur were waiting for students as they returned to Johnston Heights Secondary, which made for an upsetting start to the school year for some.

By the afternoon, someone had turned the swastika into a flower and covered up the slur, but students and parents said the damage was already done.

“I saw this disgusting language and it really hurt me,” one student told CTV News.

“Nobody needs to say words like that. It’s just not right.”

A cleanup crew was also called to the school grounds in the mid-afternoon.

It’s unclear who is responsible for the spray-painted vandalism. Another student said she believes it was likely the work of “stupid kids.”

“Obviously they’re stupid enough to write things like a swastika on the school,” she said.

The RCMP confirmed it’s aware of the graffiti, and said investigators take cases like these very seriously.

If the vandal is identified, Mounties said it's possible the individual will be charged with mischief, and that the incident could be treated as a hate crime. 

With a report from CTV Vancouver’s Nafeesa Karim