The United Kingdom officially left the European Union on Friday, and the occasion was marked by both celebrations and protests across the country.

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An hour before the official Brexit countdown clock hit zero, Prime Minister Boris Johnson addressed the nation with a statement released on social media, where he urged the country to come together and seize the opportunities made available by the UK's "recaptured sovereignty."



The BBC reported that pro-Brexit crowds partied in the streets of London and in pubs and social clubs across the country in anticipation of the final countdown.



Anti-Brexit groups also staged protests, and candlelight vigils mourning the exit were held in Scotland, which had voted to stay in the European Union.

The occasion comes three years after the UK voted in a referendum to leave the EU, where it was a member for 47 years.