Anti-vax protestors pledging to "storm" Parliament on Thursday caused less than a stir.
They showed up to an empty house with MPs already gone home for the holidays and Wellington weather quite literally rained on their parade.
"We are under a Government that is moving towards a totalitarianism regime," one protester said.
"We don't agree with any mandates that Jacinda is imposing on us," said another.
"Still quite angry, not as angry as I was," said a third.
Wellingtonians were angry right back .
"Absolute idiots," one local labelled the crowd.
"They're doing more harm than good," another added.
Police prepared for a riot and protestors had threatened to storm the Parliament. One speaker raised the prospect of bringing weapons.
"We're going to put all our guns and all our energy and all our efforts joining together and targeting it at this corrupt system and this corrupt Government."
It prompted concerning flashbacks to the January 6 Capitol riots in the United States.
But the threats never eventuated. The crowd was expected to exceed November's mammoth protest at Parliament as Aucklanders could finally breach their border.
The numbers never eventuated either - underwhelming under their umbrellas.
But it was too overwhelming for one - police removing a man who collapsed in the crowd.
Despite the lower turnout, the outrage was still turned up.
All the fury was a futile effort. The protestors paraded to a Parliament with no politicians.
The Parliament closed down for the year on Wednesday.
