Sisters-in-law Frances Ervin, left, and Doris Ervin, right, both of Castlewood, Va., listened to speakers during a prayer vigil held in front of Massey’s headquarters in Richmond, Va. Monday, May 17, 2010, for Massey miners killed at the company’s Upper Big Branch mine recently. They said both of their husbands died from health issues related to mining. (AP Photo/Richmond Times-Dispatch, Alexa Welch Edlund)

After a prayer vigil last night, protesters are gearing up this morning at Massey Energy’s annual shareholders meeting in Richmond, Va.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports:

After a raucous rally in Monroe Park, nearly 1,000 protesters marched up Franklin Street toward the Jefferson Hotel and the annual meeting of Massey Energy Corp. this morning.

The protesters are urging Massey shareholders to fire CEO Don Blankenship.

The AP had a preview of the shareholder protest moves expected at today’s meeting, and there’s a Webcast of the annual meeting here. Meanwhile, check out the latest National Public Radio report on the Upper Big Branch disaster here.