Students at Cambridge University have been warned not to wear their academic gowns in the city centre over fears they will be attacked by locals.
An email was sent to students after one of their classmates was assaulted while he cycled across Silver Street Bridge in formal wear on Sunday morning.
The warning comes just days after a video was released showing undergraduate Ronald Coyne burning a £20 note in front of a homeless man while wearing white tie and tails.
Almost 23,000 people have signed a petition demanding that Coyne is expelled from the university.
Senior tutor Dr Paul Hartle sent an email to students at St Catharine’s College about the attack on the cyclist, Cambridge student paper Varsity reported.
“The student was wearing his gown which may have occasioned the incident, given recent unhelpful local publicity about the stupidly arrogant behaviour of a particular student (from another college),” Hartle wrote.
“Whilst I suspect this was a random act, it might be prudent for a while at least not to wear your gown about town.”
A spokesperson for Cambridge Constabulary said: “The victim contacted us to say they were verbally and physically assaulted by a man on Silver Street Bridge at around 9.15am on Sunday morning.
“He was cycling across the bridge when the man, who is described as tall, white, of a medium build with a beard, approached him and verbally abused him before assaulting him.”
A university spokesperson added: “We can confirm there was an incident on Sunday morning that has been reported to police.
“We cannot comment further while a police investigation is ongoing.”