After a student protest this month at McGill University was broken up by local police with tear gas and pepper spray, the institution’s president, Heather Munroe-Blum, has ordered a formal investigation by the university’s law dean into the events. In a statement posted Monday, she said the incident was “a wake-up call for me about problems we have with respect to how we communicate, plan, and interact as a community.” Ms. Munroe-Blum said she planned to meet with faculty members, students, and others in the community to discuss how to improve relations. She also said she met with the chief of police of Montreal to express McGill’s “shock and dismay” over the tactics used against students.

During a November 10 march against tuition increases, a group of protesters occupied Ms. Munroe-Blum’s office and the office of the provost. According to the McGill Reporter, when university security personnel tried to remove the students, they sent messages via social media to people outside building saying that they were being abused. A crowd of protesters rushed into the building, clashing with the security staff and local police. The police called for support, and a riot squad cleared the protesters using batons, shields, pepper spray, and tear gas.