Brian Haw has had messages of support from many visitors

Brian Haw, 53, from Redditch, Worcestershire, is protesting about economic sanctions against Iraq and the Anglo-American bombing of the country.

He said the ending of the military action in Iraq did not mean he would halt his protest.

Mr Haw has become a tourist attraction in Parliament Square in his own right and people from all over the world have left placards with messages of peace.

Legal victory

"I have had the people of the world on this pavement," he said.

"Peace is more popular than Parliament.

"Contrary to the hopes of the government that protest will end now the war on Iraq is said to be over. I will not go away.

"It's not over for the people in Iraq - thousands more of the people are now dead and the occupiers are still there."

Last October, he won a legal victory in the High Court when a judge refused to grant Westminster City Council an injunction to remove him from the square.

The judge ruled Mr Haw was exercising his right to freedom of speech and the pavement was not being seriously obstructed.