Parliament Square protester Brian Haw has been arrested for obstructing police during searches of tents on the green.

Anti-war campaigner Mr Haw, who has been camping there since 2001, was held as police searched the "peace camp".

Another protester Barbara Tucker, who has also been camping outside the Houses of Parliament, was arrested.

Mayor Boris Johnson will be applying to the High Court to remove the activists from the camp, his spokesman said.

The green is owned by the Greater London Authority (GLA), but the spokesman said the mayor or the GLA had nothing to do with the police searches and arrests.

Meanwhile, human rights' group Liberty has criticised the police action against the protesters.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman confirmed that two people had been arrested in Parliament Square at about 0800 BST for obstructing police.

The POLICE are flexing their muscles to try and undermine the coalition Government.

The POLICE should be closed down - yes ! Closed down and replaced by people who would allow peaceful protest and would not brutalise people because they are protesting or weird or foreign.

Our Police Force in London is frankly a national disgrace and this event has proved that beyond any doubt.

Why did we bother fighting two World Wars in order to give our own POLICE the right to arrest peaceful people protesting.

Whatever happened to FREE SPEECh/