The judge overseeing Oscar Pistorius' murder trial scolded spectators for their "unruly" behavior while watching the televised proceedings in an adjacent room on Thursday.
Judge Thokozile Masipa said she had been made aware that people watching Pistorius' trial on a television feed shown nearby were shouting and cheering at times.
"It is not an entertainment place," Masipa said. She said that if the spectators did not adhere to court protocol in the second room "security will ensure that they leave."
Because of the huge interest in the trial, court authorities set aside an "overflow" room at the Pretoria High Court for reporters and other spectators to watch the trial proceedings on a big screen. Dozens of reporters are also allowed in the main courtroom where the judge sits.
Pistorius is charged with the premeditated murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp last year after she was shot multiple times through a toilet door.The double-amputee Olympian denies he intended to kill her and has claimed he mistook her for an intruder.
The trial was later adjourned for more than two weeks. It is due to resume on May 5.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
