YORK street performer Purpleman was dragged off his bike – just days after Facebook users were urged to use the UK riots as an excuse to push him off.

Purpleman told The Press he was performing to family groups in Stonegate early on Saturday evening when a group of young men, who appeared drunk, approached and began abusing him.

The performer, who prefers not to give his real name, has now installed a video camera in his hat, which he can switch on in two seconds to record any future assaults.

He said the attackers pushed his bike, breaking a wheel lock, and then pushed his performance stand about ten yards along the street, before one of them pulled his scarf with a strangling motion from behind. He was finally dragged sideways to the ground.

He said the culprits ran off but local security guards and a police community support officer gave chase and caught a man.

“I was very shaken,’ he said. “Never in ten years has this happened before. It’s very disturbing and sad.”

He believed the attack must be linked in some way to a Facebook page entitled “Using-riots-as-an-excuse-2-push-tht-****in-purple-man-off-his-bike-in-York,’ which was reported in The Press on Saturday night.

“It’s too much of a coincidence otherwise, but your readers can make their own minds up.” Police said they did not believe it was linked to Facebook.

As well as installing the camera, he said he plans to pay for a security man in the area, who he could radio for assistance in emergency, and he wants to talk to a legal expert to see whether he could take action against the person who set up the Facebook page.

He said he had been overwhelmed by the support he had been receiving from both local businesses and residents, some of whom had offered to stand by and protect him.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said yesterday that a 36-year-old man from Pontefract had been arrested at about 6.40pm on Saturday near the junction of Stonegate and Petergate on suspicion of assault and of possessing a controlled drug.

A spokesman said he was taken into custody for questioning and later released on police bail, pending further inquiries.