GUELPH -- Guelph police are looking into an incident that involved a Pride flag being taken down at a Catholic school and vandalized.

The incident, however, has prompted a colourful response by many in the community on Saturday.

Rayden Ballah and a group of teens saw the post online about the flag and decided to respond by putting out a positive message with chalk on a sidewalk.

“We saw it and we knew we had to do something about it, we have to protest,” they said.

David Cameron noticed the Pride flag down at Sacred Heart Catholic School around 6:30 a.m.

“I had a bad feeling that’s what had been done,” he said. “I was hoping I was going to be wrong but unfortunately that wasn’t the case.

“Being from Guelph, I was really disappointed to see that. I think we’re better than this. It just goes to show you that this happens everywhere. It’s not just in certain areas.”

This year marks the first time the Wellington Catholic District School Board has raised the rainbow flag. The board tells CTV News they believe the incident is an act of vandalism.

“It’s really hurtful,” said Lita Francis, another group member spreading a message with chalk drawings. “It feels like people are spiting you and it feels like it’s almost a direct type of attack.

“You could go out of your way to do so many nice things, but you chose instead to berate someone on who they really are.”

Guelph police spent Saturday canvassing the neighbourhood around the school.

The service says they are waiting on surveillance video to help identify the suspect and are asking anyone with information to give them a call.