Nigel Farage has compared “terrifying” columns of masked Muslim men to a “foreign invading army” when asked about the recent march in east London.

A group of masked Muslim protesters descended on Whitehall to “stand firm” and show that they were “ready to defend our community” in retaliation against a United Kingdom Independence Party (Ukip) protest on Saturday.

Donning black clothing and balaclavas, the group brandished Palestinian and Bangladeshi flags as they marched down Whitehall.

Now, finally giving a verdict on the matter, Mr Farage fumed: “There was proper racism happening in Tower Hamlets over the weekend.”

He added derisively that it was “intimidation to the point of sort of basically urging the mass wipe out of huge numbers of Jewish people”.

“I actually think it’s one of the most terrifying things I’ve ever seen in my whole life.”

Mr Farage’s comments followed the major protest and counter-protest over the weekend, with one of the men shouting through a megaphone to “stand firm” and “defend our community”.

The columns of masked Muslim men could be seen chanting “Allahu Akbar” in London as hordes of men marched along the way.

Today, the Reform UK chief candidly admitted: “I thought the scenes were absolutely terrifying.

“It was like a foreign invading army marching through our streets.

“I defy anyone in this room to tell me that’s wrong. I really, genuinely do.”

The UKIP demonstration was restricted by the Metropolitan Police due to fears of disorder in Tower Hamlets, which has one of the highest Muslim populations in the UK.

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Earlier in the week, the police force made that decision amid fears that it could stir up “serious disorder”. The decision was subsequently welcomed in the community.

On the street, a protester was seen shouting through a megaphone: “They [Ukip] came specifically targeting Islam. They said: ‘We are coming on a crusade,’ they said: ‘We need to take back our streets.’

“We stand firm to let them know if you come, we will stand firm and will be ready to defend our elders, to defend our women, to defend our community.

“We have never once said we were going on crusades or going into your areas to cause you problems.

“You are coming into our homes and you want to cause us problems. What is wrong with us standing up?”

Metropolitan Police said that the decision to impose Public Order Act conditions on the Ukip protest was for the sake of public safety and to ensure that order was maintained.

Such conditions meant that the party could not hold their protest in Whitechapel or elsewhere across Tower Hamlets.

Meanwhile, the counter-protest, which was led by organisers at Stand Up To Racism, was allowed to gather in Whitechapel from midday.

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