Dr Paul Hartle, an English fellow at St Catherine’s college, expressed his concerns following an assault of a Cambridge student cycling across the city centre wearing college attire.

Students were urged to refrain from wearing academic gowns and dinner party dress when out and about in the city centre.

“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),” he told Varsity, the Cambridge student newspaper.

“Whilst I suspect this was a random act, it might be prudent for a while at least not to wear your gown about town,” he added.

The assault on the student was seen as a reprisal for the high profile incident where a Pembroke college student was filmed taunting a homeless man by burning a £20 note in front of him.

As reported by The Gryphon, Ronald Coyne was dressed smartly in bow tie and tails and was filmed burning the money with a cigarette lighter.

Jangira Lewis

(Image: University of Cambridge)