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RICHMOND - Larry Gibson isn't a big man. He stands no more than 5-foot-5. The two hulking men in black suits who met Gibson at Massey Energy's door were easily big enough to fill the doorway and keep Gibson on the sidewalk.

The men accepted a list of demands from the protesters who filled Fourth Street on Friday, but it was clear that no one inside the Massey building was coming out and none of the protesters was going in. More than 250 protesters marched from Monroe Park to the energy company's office Friday afternoon, part of Mountain Justice Summer's campaign against mountaintop removal mining and other mining practices the group says damage the environment, put people living near the coal operations in danger and ultimately contribute to global warming.

Gibson has been fighting Massey for nearly two decades. His family farm near Dawes, W.Va., is surrounded by strip mines. But much of Friday's protest centered on a Massey operation near Sundial, W.Va.

There the company runs a strip mining operation near Marsh Fork Elementary School. A coal loading silo stands within 200 feet of the school. The state recently approved a second silo nearby.

While protesters say these cause health problems among students and teachers, they are particularly concerned about a dam that holds more than 2 billion gallons of coal sludge less than 400 yards from the school.

"Anything built by man is prone to failure," said Julia Bonds, grandmother of a former Marsh Fork Elementary student. "I think they're rolling the dice with people's lives, is what I think."

Massey officials declined the protesters' chanted invitation to come out on the street and talk. But the company did release a statement before the rally began.

"Massey Energy Company believes that there has been a great deal of misinformation disseminated with respect to current and proposed activities at its Goals preparation plant in West Virginia," the release said. "The Goals impoundment has been inspected by both federal and state regulatory agencies."

The site is run much like any other in the industry, according to the release.

The release also said the company conducts its operations in accordance with legal requirements and is committed "to the preservation of our land, air and water." Massey's statement also said the company respects people's rights to express concerns.

The march began with a rally in Monroe Park. The public address system was powered by Erin McKelvy's Mercedes station wagon. McKelvy, from Blacksburg, runs her car on vegetable oil - used grease she gets from local restaurants.

The crowd included coalfield residents, environmentalists, anarchists and Allen Johnson, who spoke for a recently formed group called Christians for the Mountains.

Johnson, from Frost, W.Va., quoted Genesis and Psalm 24 to tell the crowd that the earth is the Lord's and it is mankind's duty to protect God's creation.

"We believe the Scriptures, the theology, is clear," Johnson said.

Bicycles led the group from Monroe Park. They were followed by bearers of banners, a flag brigade and a band consisting mostly of drums and plastic buckets accompanied by whistles, a harmonica and a kazoo. An accordion was played with the group in the park but didn't make the march.

The protesters marched past the exclusive Commonwealth Club and the venerable Jefferson Hotel, chanting and handing out fliers explaining what they were marching against.

Jim Lytle stepped out of his office to have a cup of tea and to see what all the fuss was about. The protest didn't bother him.

"I think it's one of the avenues that have to be pursued," he said. "I mean, it's entertaining at least."

Tom Priano waited in his black Jaguar convertible as the groups passed.

"Any demonstration is good," he said.

This demonstration stretched long past its allotted time. Protesters drummed, danced, chanted and used a bullhorn to carry their message to the Massey employees at the open windows above the street. Some of the people in those windows photographed the crowd as did a videographer on the building's roof. Some protesters pointed cameras back at the people taking pictures of them.

Almost three hours after leaving Monroe Park, the crowd began its march back. There were no arrests, no violence and no meeting between protesters and Massey officials.

McKelvy, principal organizer of the Virginia portion of Mountain Justice Summer, considered that a success.

The march ended back in Monroe Park, near the base of a statue dedicated to Joseph Bryan. The inscription on the base reads, "The character of the citizen is the strength of the state."