Angry supporters of Pim Fortuyn heckled the animal rights activist accused of assassinating the populist Dutch politician Thursday as he made his first appearance in an Amsterdam court. Separated from the courtroom by a bulletproof glass barrier, onlookers continuously interrupted the proceedings, denouncing Volkert Van der Graaf as a murderer and chanting “Life! Life!” to press for a tough sentence, The Associated Press reported. Van der Graaf, 33, who is charged with premeditated murder, entered the courtroom looking relaxed and confident, speaking only once to tell the judge he understood the charges. If found guilty he faces a life sentence. He briefly scanned the public gallery for familiar faces, avoiding eye contact with Fortuyn’s two brothers, Maarten and Simon, sitting nearby, AP said. One woman stood up to demand Van der Graaf be jailed for life, saying he “devastated the country,” before being dragged out by court officials to join a handful of Fortuyn supporters outside. Full Story
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