THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS - Fourteen people were given short jail terms by a Dutch court Thursday for their part in a protest when stones were hurled at the Chinese embassy following deadly unrest in China's Xinjiang region.

The sentences ranged from one week to 10 days in prison, shorter than the two weeks sought by the prosecution, on charges of violence against people and property.

One defendant said he had thrown a brick at the embassy in protest at the "bloodbath" in Urumqi, capital of the remote northwest region, where at least 156 people died in clashes between members of the local Uighur population and Han Chinese which broke out on Sunday.

Another shouted "free the Uighurs" on leaving the courtroom.

A total of 142 people were arrested at Monday's protest called by the Association of East Turkmenistan Uighurs in the Netherlands, when rocks and cobble stones were hurled over the walls around the embassy building and
several windows were broken.

The demonstrators brandished flags and banners reading "Chinese go back to China" and shouted "Terrorist China" when being whisked away by police cars and buses to the main police station.

The consular section of the embassy was closed to the public on Tuesday, while China called on the Netherlands to protect its citizens.

Court spokeswoman Marianne Goet said Wednesday three more would stand trial at a later date, while prosecutors were still studying the cases of 15 other demonstrators.