More than 200 people were arrested Saturday outside Chevron's Richmond refinery during a protest over safety issues at the plant and the company's global environmental practices.



The arrests came hours into a protest that began with a rally Saturday morning outside the Richmond BART Station and a march west to Chevron's gates. By the time the demonstration reached the refinery, the crowd numbered into the thousands.



Protesters chanted outside the gate and drew a giant sunflower using biodegradable paint on the pavement. Police began making arrests when the demonstrators, many of them carrying sunflowers, walked onto company property and refused to leave.



Eventually, 210 people were arrested, nearly all of them on suspicion of trespassing, police said. They were cited and released.

With the sound of drums and shouts of People power! in the air, thousands of people expressed their anger against Chevron Saturday, almost a year after an oil refinery fire in Richmond.



More than 2,000 people took part in the rally that started at Richmond BART station and ended with a sit-in at the main gate of the Chevron refinery at Richmond Point. When 90-year-old protestor Ellen Small was arrested at the sit-in, some people in the crowd started chanting Let the people go, arrest the CEO.



Police said that they arrested and then later released 210 protestors. Richmond Police Captain Mark Gagan said that the demonstration was peaceful and that there were no injuries. One person was arrested on suspicion of assault, he said.



The protest took place three days before the Aug. 6 anniversary of the refinery accident that resulted in a toxic cloud that injured six Chevron workers and sent more than 15,000 Richmond residents to local hospitals after breathing polluted air.

RICHMOND, Calif.  Richmond police arrested a total of 210 people at a non-violent protest outside the Chevron refinery Saturday, according to police officials.



A group of around 1,200 people gathered at the Richmond BART station and marched more than two miles to the refinery around 10 a.m. Saturday, according to Police Capt. Mark Gagan.



Police estimate more than 2,800 people gathered at the refinery and listened to speeches by activists, environmentalists and local dignitaries, Gagan said.



Following the speeches, a group of more than 500 people pushed police officers back on to Chevron property about 25 feet and then sat down, Gagan said.

Thousands March to Chevron Days Before Fire AnniversaryAlmost 3,000 march, 210 arrested at Chevron Refinery protest