Claims that over one million people attended an anti-vaccination mandate protest at the weekend have been shut down with police confirming the real figure was much smaller.
Thousands from the Convoy to Canberra group set up camp in the nation’s capital, causing weeks of disruption while they protested against vaccine mandates.
It culminated with the largest day of action on Saturday, with ACT Police confirming up txjmtzywo 10,000 people attending the demonstration.
But frustrated campers have taken issue with official estimates, taking to social media to complain the media and police were hiding the protests‘ true attendance, suggesting the crowd was anywhere between 300,000 to one million.
While numbers of those camping at Exhibition Park in Canberra’s north have swelled in recent days, the group had all but disbanded by Monday.
ACT Police issued orders for the group to move on, warning if they did not have a booking after Monday they would be considered trespassing.
A spokesman said less than 1000 campers remained at EPIC on Monday.
“ACT Policing is assessing a range of options to ensure all remaining campers leave EPIC as soon as possible,” he said.
The group hastily took to social media in an attempt to secure another campsite but chatter online suggests this plan failed.
No arrests were made at the camp for the duration of the weekend, with orders to leave mostly respected
It’s not the first time the campers were told to pack up and move on, with a previous camp inside the capital’s parliamentary triangle disbanded by police earlier this month.
On Sunday, police confirmed a woman had been charged after a fiery clash with an anti-vaccination protester.
The vision, which was shared widely on social media, showed the woman mount her Holden Captiva on the protester’s car.
“Inquiries relating to the incident occurred today and the driver of a black SUV will be issued an infringement for negligent driving,” a spokesman said.
