An elite French university was on Wednesday dragged into the national spotlight as its director quit over alleged domestic violence and a pro-Palestinian demonstration sparked accusations of anti-Semitism.

Mathias Vicherat, director of the prestigious Sciences Po school located on Paris's Left Bank, said he was stepping down after being ordered to stand trial in a domestic violence case.

He became the target of angry protests by students demanding his resignation after he and his partner Anissa Bonnefont were briefly detained in December, each accusing the other of domestic violence.

Sciences Po, founded in 1872, is a hugely influential cornerstone of French elite education and a cradle of political power. Its alumni list features President Emmanuel Macron and several former French and foreign leaders, as well as top names in literature, media, culture and fashion.

Vicherat, 45, said in a message sent to faculty he was resigning to "protect" the school from any fallout of the domestic violence case.

"What counts here is not me but the institution," he said.

Accusations of violence against him had been made in a "vague........

© International Business Times