The student accused of throwing a shoe at Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao last week pleaded not guilty in court Tuesday to a public order offence, AFP reported.
German national Martin Jahnke, a 27-year-old graduate student at Cambridge University, spoke only to confirm his name and address, and to enter his plea at Cambridge Magistrates' Court.
His case was adjourned, at the prosecutors' request, until a pre-trial review on March 10, and he was released on unconditional bail.
The incident on February 2 cast a shadow over Wen's visit, which came at the end of a European tour aimed at mending ties with China's allies in the region.
Jahnke appeared in Court One on Tuesday wearing a black suit, a blue top and black slip-on shoes. Clean shaven and with short, black hair, the softly-spoken student in the Department of Pathology looked pale and seemed slightly nervous.
During the hearing, which lasted less than 10 minutes, prosecutors asked for a four-week adjournment to gather more evidence. Jahnke's lawyer agreed with the request.
"I need to get hold of video footage... there is footage of the incident," the prosecutor said. The hearing was notably attended by Chinese and German media and by Chinese students.
Jahnke was told by the magistrate that because he had denied committing the offence, "there must be a trial when people can bring their evidence and their witnesses, and you can too."
Before leaving court, Jahnke was told that if he did not appear in court next month he would be committing an imprisonable offence.
The graduate was patted on the back, seemingly by passers-by, as he left the courthouse carrying a blue bag and a blue waterproof jacket.
Jahnke is accused of using "threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to cause fear of or to provoke violence", according to the Crown Prosecution Service.
The court heard he was accused of "intent to cause Wen Jiabao harassment".
If found guilty, he could face a maximum six months in prison and a 5,000-pound fine.
Immediately after last week's protest, Wen described the action as "despicable" before resuming his speech. But he has since urged that the student be allowed to continue his studies at Cambridge.
The Chinese premier has insisted that the incident would not harm relations with Britain.
Jahnke could face disciplinary action by the authorities at the university, where he reportedly carries out important genetic research into debilitating diseases such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis and arthritis.
The university said a complaint had been made and it was being looked into.
University Vice-Chancellor Professor Alison Richard said at the time that she "deeply regret(s)" the protest.
"This university is a place for considered argument and debate, not for shoe-throwing," she added.
Wen was giving a speech in Cambridge last Monday when he was interrupted by a protester shouting "this is a scandal" and calling him a dictator.
The protester threw a sports shoe, which landed only metres away from the Chinese leader, and was then escorted out of the auditorium.
At the weekend, Wen called for the student to be allowed to continue his studies, according to China's ambassador to Britain, Fu Ying, quoted on the Chinese foreign ministry website.
"It is hoped that the university will give the student an opportunity to continue his studies... As a Chinese saying goes, it is more precious than gold for a young person to turn himself around to redress mistakes," Fu said.