NANJING - Sixteen people were sentenced on Wednesday to up to a year and a half in prison for their involvement in violent protests last summer in Qidong City in east China's Jiangsu Province.

They were charged with gathering to assault state organs, intentionally damaging property and theft during the events on July 28.

Shen Yawei and two other defendants were sentenced by the court of Qidong to 12-18 months in prison. Shi Heping, Zhu Baosheng and another 11 defendants received a sentence of 12-18 months with reprieve, on the grounds that they confessed and repented.

While one defendant named Zhu Xiaoling plans to appeal, the other 15 said they would not challenge the ruling.

On July 28, thousands of people in Qidong took to the streets to protest against a drainpipe project that would have discharged waste water from Japanese Oji Paper Group's inland plant into the sea.

The local government canceled the project hours after the protest.