Paraphrased as the "no jab, no job" mandate, the deadline affected hundreds of Hawke's Bay health and education workers.
The caller accused Hawke's Bay Today of being paid by the Labour Government to not report the protest, because of some sort of international United Nations directive given to the Government.
The caller hadn't read the news story that Hawke's Bay Today had published online about the protest.
It was published within minutes of the protest getting under way, and included photos from the scene.
A reporter and a photographer were there, talking to protesters.
The caller was politely advised that the protest had been reported upon.
OPINION: It's a tragic irony that the individuality that makes intelligent people excellent health workers and teachers, has cost them their jobs. Photo / Paul Taylor
What became apparent was that the people who were there weren't conspiracy theorists.
They weren't all "anti-vaxx", some were "anti-mandate".
Some want to be vaccinated, but want an alternative to the Pfizer vaccine.
Some protesters resent the process forced upon them, and have declined the vaccine on principle.
Hawke's Bay Today has written about this before - the "no jab, no job" mandate process has been slightly fuzzy from the outset - partly because these are highly unusual circumstances, in strange times.
After announcing the mandate, little detail was made public as to what happened next and how it would work.
Even now, there is uncertainty for those who have not had the vaccine.
Not meeting the mandate deadline is not necessarily the kiss of employment death for health workers - if they have not resigned, they have been stood down.
The resignation/stand down split isn't available yet, but about 140 Hawke's Bay workers did not get their first vaccine and weren't at work today.
Those stood down have the opportunity to detail their personal situation with their employers - losing their job is not the only option.
But what the other options are isn't clear and seems limited to some form of leave - paid or unpaid - pending their first vaccination.
It would seem that within the health and education sector, opportunities for unvaccinated workers are limited.
Some of today's protesters were indeed anti-vaxx, but with different views than say, those who fear they will become magnetised, or have micro-chips inserted when they receive the vaccine.
They are outside or on the periphery of the herd that has stampeded towards the "get vaxxed" mentality for personal and economic health.
It will forever remain a tragic irony, that the individuality that made thousands of New Zealanders excellent teachers and health workers, has ultimately cost them their jobs.
