It was supposed to be the day Brexiteers rejoiced at the nation’s exit from the EU. Instead, thousands of Leave voters and far-right activists gathered outside parliament to show their anger at the UK’s delayed and increasingly uncertain departure.

While Nigel Farage addressed the Leave Means Leave rally at Parliament Square on Friday afternoon, Tommy Robinson held a separate Make Brexit Happen event only a couple of hundred yards away at the bottom of Whitehall.

The crowds at both rallies chanted “we want Brexit” and “out means out”, giving huge cheers to any speaker denouncing the “betrayal” of the 2016 referendum result.

Many shouted “treason” and “traitors” at any mention of Remain politicians or the government’s negotiated delay to the planned 29 March exit date.

Some expressed their hostility face-to-face: at least two MPs were abused by pro-Brexit supporters in the streets outside parliament.

Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Show all 30 1 /30 Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Pro-Brexit leave the European Union supporters attend a rally in Parliament Square after the final leg of the "March to Leave" in London AP Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit The protest march which started on March 16 in Sunderland, north east England, finished on what was the original date for Brexit to happen before the recent extension Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter holds up a poster during a rally after the final leg of the "March to Leave" in London, Friday, March 29, 2019. Pro-Brexit demonstrators were gathering in central London on the day that Britain was originally scheduled to leave the European Union. (AP Photo/ Kirsty Wigglesworth) Kirsty Wigglesworth AP Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A pro-Brexit protester holds a sign next to a statue of Winston Churchill at the March to Leave demonstration in London, Britain March 29, 2019. REUTERS/Toby Melville TOBY MELVILLE Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit demonstrators in Parliament Square in Westminster, London. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday March 29, 2019. See PA story POLITICS Brexit. Photo credit should read: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire Jonathan Brady PA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Pro-Brexit protesters hold signs and wave flags at the March to Leave demonstration in London, Britain March 29, 2019. REUTERS/Toby Melville TOBY MELVILLE Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit epa07471421 Pro-Brexit protesters gather outside of the Parliament for Nigel Farage's 'March to Leave' in London, Britain, 29 March 2019. MPs rejected Prime Minister's May EU withdrawal agreement earlier in the day. EPA/NEIL HALL NEIL HALL EPA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter sips a can of Stella in protests outside of the Houses of Parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Dedicated anti-Brexit campaigner Steve Bray and likewise pro-Brexit campaigner Joseph Afrane go head to head near the Houses of Parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A pro-Brexit marching band in Parliament Square Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Remain supporters wave EU flags from a bus in Parliament Square PA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter shouts slogans outside parliament EPA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter protests outside parliament Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter protests outside of the Houses of Parliament Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters protest outside of the Houses of Parliament REUTERS Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A pro-Brexit flag is waved in Parliament Square AP Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit The March to Leave nears the Houses of Parliament Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit protester holds a sign outside parliament EPA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters carry the coffin of democracy AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters march outside parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters take part in the March to Leave protest in London PA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters protest outside parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter holds a sign outside the Houses of Parliament Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A man holds satirical paintings of politicians Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit An pro-Brexit float on the March to Leave march in London Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Far-right activist Tommy Robinson addresses protesters outside the Houses of Parliament Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter outside the Houses of Parliament Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Tommy Robinson supporter arrives at the Houses of Parliament Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A jogger gestures rudely at a Brexit supporter outside of the Houses of Parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter outside the Houses of Parliament PA

Labour MP Lisa Nandy said she was “accosted by people shouting f****** traitor”, while the SNP’s Joanna Cherry said she was “called a traitor” and “told to go back to my own country”.

Five people were arrested during the demonstrations, including two for assault, one for assaulting a police officer and one for drunk and disorderly behaviour, according to the Metropolitan Police.

The mood remained defiant and the tone uncompromising, amid chaos in the Commons.

News that Theresa May’s deal had been defeated for a third time was greeted with huge cheers in Parliament Square. For many of the protesters, a no-deal Brexit has become the only Brexit worthy of the name.

Dozens of people held placards with some variation on “WTO now”, and there was delight when Tory MP Mark Francois – the ERG stalwart – told the crowd he had voted against Ms May’s deal again. “Prime minister, what part of no, no, no don’t you understand?”

Taking to the stage shortly after 5pm, Mr Farage initially sounded a downbeat note before rallying his supporters to further political battles ahead.

“The betrayal will probably be repeated on 11 April,” he said of the possibility of a longer delay. “If that means we have to fight the European elections I will fight them. If there’s a second referendum, we’ll beat them by a bigger margin.”

“We will get our country back,” he added. “We will win.”

Juliet Evans, 51, from Chester, told The Independent: “This is the last chance for Brexit and for British democracy. We need to leave as soon as possible, and moving on to WTO rules doesn’t scare me in the slightest.”

Mike Whitby, 66, travelled to London from north Wales with a group of friends waving plastic pitchforks.

“What’s happening now is treason,” he said. “Parliament is committing treason because they are trying to usurp the democratic process. Parliament is not sovereign – the people are sovereign.

“We need to get out of the EU as soon as possible because we want to close our borders, because our doors are wide open at the moment.”

One man climbed onto the Churchill statue on Parliament Square to make his point (Reuters)

While some demonstrators flitted between the stages, the Tommy Robinson rally remained the smaller, more heavily male and more raucous of the two events.

Organised jointly with Ukip, the gathering was joined by around 100 or so men from the Democratic Football Lads Alliance. Flags representing the far-right Generation Identity group could be seen at the bottom of Whitehall.

Chanting their go-to tune of “oh Tommy Tommy, Tommy, Tommy, Tommy Robinson”, many of Robinson’s fans booed and shouted at police officers standing on the pavements.

One man draped in an England flag approached an officer to ask him: “You agree with everything he’s saying, don’t you?”

The officer shook his head and said: “No.”

Robinson on stage at the Brexit day event (AFP/Getty) (Getty)

Robinson made a series of rambling speeches over several hours, initially directing his attacks at the media. He played a series of videos attempting to show how he and his allies had been misconstrued and unfairly edited.

If the crowd appeared slightly bored by his video lectures about journalism, they were roused by Ukip leader Gerard Batten and the “betrayal” over Brexit. “Never before have we been governed by such as set of traitors and quislings,” Mr Batten said.

While the Robinson-UKIP mob chanted God Save the Queen, the event at Parliament Square finished up with short blasts of Rule Britannia and I Vow to Thee, My Country.

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Some warned of even angrier days ahead if Britain fails to leave the EU in the next couple of months and a longer delay goes into effect.