Predictions of a massive turnout for New Zealand's latest anti-mandate protest have failed to match reality.
Around 2000 protesters braved a dark and rainy Wellington day to march on Parliament House, objecting to Jacinda Ardern's COVID-19 restrictions.
Organisers had hoped for around 10 times that figure, given the protest was held a day after Auckland's hard border was removed.
In any case, Ms Ardern wasn't there to see it: the day prior marked the end of the parliamentary year, and most MPs had left Wellington.
She was the hate figure of many in the crowd, displaying signs calling her "Jabscinda", "Taxcinda", "Comrade Cindy" and more.
Worse, at least one man carried a noose to protest.
While one man who attempted to climb the Beehive, the executive building which houses Ms Ardern's office, those misbehaving were an extreme minority.
Protestors sung the national anthem, performed a haka and signed off for the afternoon with chants of "ho ho ho, Jacinda must go".
Others took the chance to sell Donald Trump merchandise.
Numbers were down from an estimated 5000 at a similar protest last month, when crowd members threw tennis balls at journalists.
Health officials confirmed a successful vaccine rollout on the same day as the protests, with 90 per cent of eligible Kiwis now fully vaccinated.
