Planned gatherings to protest at lockdown measures failed to draw crowds in Dundee and Fife.
A Dundee councillor praised city dwellers for their good sense after just a few dozen people turned up to Balgay Park on Saturday.
Meanwhile, not a single person turned up to Kinbrae Park in Newport-on-Tay, where an event had also been advertised to take place at noon.
Campaigners had advertised “mass gatherings” across the country in protest at mandatory vaccination and social distancing measures to contain the spread of Covid-19.
At Balgay Park protester Daniel Clark, who grew up in America but lives in Dundee, warned that the lockdown would be more “detrimental” than returning to normality.
Police patrolled the park as the small crowd was met with counter-demonstrations and hecklers.
One eyewitness, who had recovered from coronavirus earlier in the year, called the event “pathetic” and “damaging”.
Councillor Fraser Macpherson, who represents the West End ward of Dundee, said: “What is reassuring and unsurprising about today’s so-called mass demonstration in Balgay Park is that the turnout was pathetic and the people of Dundee rightly ignored it.
“I never doubt the good sense of the local community so the near-zero turnout shows how this ‘protest’ had no public support whatsoever.
“In fact there were more members of the media there and local people passing simply doing their daily walk or walking their dog than there were protesters. More of an ill-judged joke than a protest.”
Across the Tay, two police officers were in attendance at Kinbrae Park but they had no need to move anybody on.
A number of local residents who were walking through the area expressed bafflement that the park had been chosen as a location by campaigners.
“It’s like someone’s put a pin in a map,” said a resident.
Posters had been circulated on social media advertising gatherings in Newport and Dundee, and urging people to “bring a picnic”.
Police had said they would “respond to any unlawful activity” if required to.
