Supporters lay flowers and pray for Dutch journalist

Two men suspected of shooting Peter de Vries are being held for further two weeks by Dutch police

About 4,000 roses and a sign reading 'Attack on the Freedom of Press' lie in Amsterdam after shooting of Peter R de Vries. AP

Two men appeared in a Dutch court on Friday due to their reported involvement in the shooting of prominent crime journalist Peter R de Vries.

The two men, identified by Dutch media as a Polish national, Kamil E, 35, and Delano G, 21, will remain in custody for another two weeks, the Amsterdam District Court said.

Heavy security ringed the court for Friday’s hearing. The court said that “there are currently sufficient objections and grounds to keep the two men in pre-trial detention” and the two men were ordered to be held for another 14 days while the investigation continues.

De Vries, one of the country's best-known investigative crime reporters, was gunned down in broad daylight on Tuesday on a busy Amsterdam street shortly after leaving a taping of a television talk show.

The day after the shooting, he was said to be "fighting for his life" in a local hospital. Since then, there has been no update on his condition.

A ceremony was held in honour of the injured journalist on Friday afternoon at Amsterdam’s Westerkerk church, which welcomed visitors to light candles and to observe a moment of silence. Some 4,000 white roses were lain in his honour at the National Monument in the city’s famous Dam Square, with a sign reading “Attack on Freedom of the Press”.

De Vries has often appeared as a commentator or spokesman for families of crime victims, particularly in so-called cold cases.

The journalist had recently been advising the key prosecution witness in the trial of Ridouan Taghi, a reported underworld crime boss who was deported from Dubai to the Netherlands to face charges.

In 2019, Mr Taghi made a public statement denying reports he had threatened to have de Vries killed.