The trial of far-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders on charges of discrimination and inciting hatred got underway today in an Amsterdam court.

Listen to RNW political correspondent John Tyler:

Geert Wilders sat expressionless next to his lawyers at the defendant's table while the public prosecutor read out the charges, including incitement toward hatred of Muslims, incitement toward hatred of Moroccans, and discrimination against Moroccans and non-western immigrants.

Something missing
Mr Wilders' attorney, the well-known criminal defence lawyer Bram Moszkowicz, asked the court to have the entire writ against his client read out in court. The panel of three judges said it was unnecessary, but did instruct the prosecutor to read out Mr Wilders' statements on which the case is based.

After the statements had been read, the senior judge had the following exchange with the defendant (translated): 

Judge: "Mr Wilders, I can see that you are listening very intently, but what are you feeling right now? I cannot sense any emotion in you whatsoever."

Wilders: "Indeed, I have been listening intently, but some things were missing. Particularly the quotes from Fitna [his anti-Islam video, ed.], I was trying to reconstruct it, to see if they were right. Some were, some weren't."

Mr Moscowitz requested that the trial be moved to The Hague, since most of Mr Wilders' statements were made there. He said the Amsterdam court did not have jurisdiction in the case. The prosecutor said this was nonsense, since Mr Wilders' statements are addressed to the entire country.

Protest
Outside the courtroom, a few hundred demonstrators had gathered to show their support for Geert Wilders. They did not get to see Mr Wilders himself, who was taken into the building through a secure entrance.

But when the Freedom Party parliamentary caucus entered the building, the protestors chanted the party's Dutch initials, PVV. Many protestors held signs with slogans such as 'Protect Freedom of Speech', 'Do Not Silence Geert' and 'We Are All on Trial'.

'Political trial'
Mr Wilders says the trial is politically motivated, and many demonstrators agreed, as witnessed here:

"Our judiciary can't be quite be trusted. They seem not to be in touch with society anymore. Because otherwise, this wouldn't have happened... The Dutch justice system is really making a fool of themselves by getting Wilders on trial."

Demonstrators came from all over the country -- as far away as Zeeland, Limburg and Friesland. Many said they would vote for the Freedom Party, but others said freedom of speech was more important than any political implications. A number of foreigners also joined the protest, including Ian, a Northern Ireland native who now lives in Amsterdam:

"It's like the blasphemy laws of the past in England. They tried to use laws to curb expression. And it didn't work. And in the end, here, it's all about freedom."

Another group left Cologne, Germany at four o'clock in the morning. They were the first protestors to show up and secured the most prominent spot in front of the courthouse. One of them, Andre, told Radio Netherlands Worldwide they were from Pax Europa, and said Mr Wilders has support across the continent. He regrets the fact that no German politician is as critical of Islam as Mr Wilders.

No counter-protestors came to Amsterdam, but two small scale protests against Mr Wilders took place: one in the Dutch town of Wageningen and one in the Belgian capital, Brussels.