Parliament Square war protester Brian Haw in court

Mr Haw, with grazes from a previous incident, has protested since 2001

Parliament Square protester Brian Haw has appeared in court charged with obstructing police during searches of tents on the green.

The anti-war campaigner, 61, who has camped there since 2001, was held as police searched the "peace camp" before the state opening of Parliament.

Another protester, Barbara Tucker, 48, has been charged with obstruction and a public order offence.

They denied the charges at City of Westminster Magistrates Court.

Mr Haw and Ms Tucker, both listed as being of no fixed abode, are due to appear at the same court on 9 June.

Speaking outside the court, Mr Haw also set out his intention to remain in the square for the rest of his life.

I'm determined to be there until they kill me Brian Haw

"We're there because our country is committing infanticide, genocide, the looting of nations.

"I'm determined to be there until they kill me. How much longer will that be?"

Police with sniffer dogs had moved in on Tuesday morning to search the growing collection of tents on Parliament Square before the Queen arrived to announce the new government's plans.

Mr Haw, originally from Redditch, Worcestershire, initially set up his camp in protest against sanctions on Iraq.

In 2007 it was made illegal to hold an unauthorised protest within a square mile of Parliament, although Mr Haw fought successfully to be allowed to continue his demonstration.

In a separate move, mayor Boris Johnson is to apply to the High Court to remove the activists from the camp, his spokesman said.

He is understood to believe that the scale and impact of the protest camp was "doing considerable damage to the square".