A man who filmed the traffic chaos caused by an anti-vaxxer protest in Canberra on Saturday got a lot more than he bargained for from an elderly driver.
Thousands gathered in the capital for for the Millions March anti-vaccine mandate rally, also attended by politicians such as Queensland LNP MP George Christensen and United Australia Party leader Craig Kelly.
As the gridlock stopped traffic and anti-vaxxers blew their horns and waved flags, one of them took to the median strip with a video camera and spoke to people stuck going nowhere.
An elderly man (pictured) gave an anti-vaxxer a piece of his mind in Canberra – using some very choice language
‘What do you think of what’s going on right now, mate?’ he asks of an elderly man who had wound down his window.
‘I think it’s blood ridiculous. It makes no commonsense at all. I mean, vaccination is the only thing saving the population,’ the man replies.
The anti-vaxxer seems shocked by the man’s response.
‘You reckon vaccinations are saving us?’ he says.
‘Absolutely. At my age I need it,’ the older man replies.
And then, his patience wearing thin both with the traffic and the man on the other side of the camera, his words get a bit more salty.
‘Somebody like you may not. You’re a ****.’
The anti-vaxxer, perhaps thinking he misheard due to the beeping horns, says ‘I’m a what?’
‘You’re a ****,’ the older man repeats.
‘Oh, alright. Thank you for that kind word,’ the anti-vaxxer replies, adding, ‘you might want to put your mask on again.’
United Australia Party leader Craig Kelly (pictured) was one of those protesting against vaccine mandates in Canberra
Queensland LNP MP George Christensen (pictured) was at the anti-vaxxer protest in Canberra
But the elderly gentleman is not yet finished.
‘You f****** prick, piss off back to where you came from,’ he tells the protestor.
‘You’re ridiculous.’
The cameraman, who probably doesn’t want to hear any more foul language, then swings round to film the gridlocked traffic he and the other protestors had caused.
He also films a fellow protestor flying a Serbian flag from his car window – probably in tribute to anti-vax tennis player Novak Djokovic, who was kicked out of Australia last month before he got a chance to play in the Australian Open.
Thousands turned out in Canberra (pictured) for the anti-vaccine mandate protest over the last week
On the Reddit social media site, where the video was posted, the commenters are almost entirely in favour of the man having his spray.
One says: ‘Not getting vaccinated or wearing a mask puts other people’s lives at risk.’
‘Is this next year’s Australian of the Year?’, another asks.
Many pointed out that though the anti-vaxxers make a lot of noise, there aren’t that many of them.
‘They are part of a miniscule and loud minority of smooth brained morons. ‘The old bloke just echoed the sentiments of the community at large,’ one said.
Protestors (pictured) at a Canberra rally against Covid-19 vaccine mandates, which caused gridlock traffic in the nation’s capital
Anti-vaxxers have been gathering all week in Canberra before parliament resumes after the summer break on Tuesday.
Mr Craig Kelly and Mr Christensen, who regularly spread anti-vaccine conspiracies online, mixed with protestors on Saturday.
Mr Christensen and Liberal Senator Gerard Rennick have threatened to block the Coalition’s legislation over vaccine mandates.
Both are expected to address the crowd of protestors in the coming days.
Though the protest was called Millions March, the number of people who showed up was far fewer than that
The anti-vaxxers converging on Canberra also include sovereign citizens (who say they are free of any legal constraints), Indigenous rights activists and evangelical Christians.
Former Qantas pilot Graham Hood addressed the crowd on Saturday outside Parliament House, claiming the government has no legal authority over the country.
‘If they’re not going to be heard in there (Parliament House), they’re coming out to be heard by you.
‘That’s gonna put it right up the others who are sitting in the swill,’ he said.
