British designer John Galliano
British designer John GallianoReuters

New York's Parsons School of Design has canceled a workshop that disgraced fashion designer John Galliano was set to give in a step toward his rehabilitation after being sacked by Christian Dior for an anti-Semitic outburst, the AFP news agency reported.

The four-day master class at the prestigious school had come under a bombardment of complaints and an online protest.

"An important element of the planned workshop with John Galliano was a candid conversation about the connection between his professional work and his actions in the world at large," Parsons said in a statement issued late Tuesday.

"Unfortunately, we could not reach consensus with Mr Galliano on the conditions of this conversation, and the program could not move forward," the statement added, according to AFP.

When it first announced the class, Parsons had said Galliano would offer a "dynamic and intimate opportunity for our students to learn from an immensely talented designer" and that he had shown "serious intent to make amends for his past actions."

Galliano, lost his job at Dior in March 2011 after video emerged of him hurling anti-Semitic insults at patrons of a Paris bar. He was convicted last year in France of breaking anti-Semitism laws.

Galliano blamed the outburst on drink and drug problems and went into rehab for two months.