Six animal rights activists stood trial recently in Shanghai after attacking and force-feeding animal excrement to two people whom the activists believed had maltreated and slaughtered cats.

Though they are now out on bail, the activists have been charged in Pudong New Area People's Court with "picking quarrels and provoking trouble," and the verdict is expected to be announced as early as within one week, Fu Xinzhen, an official with the court's publicity department, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

The six suspects tricked one male and one female, respectively surnamed Liu and Yi, into following the suspects into a grove of trees on July 30 under the pretense that the suspects were interested in adopting the victims' pets.

The suspects believed that Liu and Yi were the torturers of cats shown in a viral video clip.

One suspect surnamed Zeng realized that Liu and Yi were not the torturers after talking with them, but Zeng was told by the other five to continue with their planned attack.

Another suspect surnamed Xu confessed in court that they still suspected Liu and Yi may have been involved in the mistreatment.

Xu said she threw cat litter blended with cat poop onto the female victim's face while another suspect surnamed Cao cut her hair with scissors.

Meanwhile, other activists beat up the male victim.

Prosecutors pointed out that the suspects also stuffed the victims' mouths with dung. Liu and Yi were medically examined and found to have suffered minor injuries.

Fu said four of the suspects who beat Liu and Yi paid a total of 185,000 yuan ($28,500) in damages to the victims.

"I feel guilty about the attack. As an animal rights activist, I should protect not only animals, but also human beings," Xu said.