The word "crowds" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to a large group of people gathered in one place, either to express the presence of a large number of people or to talk about the effect of a large number of people gathered in one place. For example, "The streets were filled with crowds of people."
Several hundred supporters chanted for Erdoğan, the party's founder, but there was little sign of the huge crowds that gathered after past election victories.
He asked Belmondo and Seberg to come for a quick walk down a quieter stretch of the avenue away from the crowds, getting his famous shot of them ambling along chatting.
Ahead of Jonathan's arrival, Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, a former militant leader, rode through the crowds, his fist raised in the air as he sat on a black Mercedes.
Back in Yenagoa, crowds cheered as Jonathan ended his rally.
Far from Cairo's madding crowds, they are in theory an attractive prospect for many Egyptians.
But once there, their lives exemplify why the crowds have not followed in their wake.
Another sign of dissent could be detected in the last days of "really existing socialism", when protesting crowds sang official songs, including national anthems, to remind the powers of their unfulfilled promises.
At 1.26pm, by which time the crowds had been waiting for about two hours, the 53-year-old Oscar winner and the 36-year-old barrister emerged from their taxi and, after briefly waving, went inside the city hall.
It is the one series when capacity crowds can be relied upon.
Large crowds filled Yerevan's central Freedom Square at the call of three main opposition parties, Prosperous Armenia, Heritage, and the Armenian National Congress, to protest against rising prices and widespread corruption.
It also meant I avoided all of the crowds.
