As the sun was setting over Fulton County Jail after a particularly humid day, the barriers were flung open.

It was 7:33pm and, while the rest of the nation began to unwind after work, Donald Trump was about to surrender to the authorities.

As helicopters circled above, the sparse industrial road was flooded with flashing blue lights as a motorcade of 19 bikes and almost a dozen black SUVs filtered down Jefferson Street, just a few miles from downtown Atlanta.

The stream of slick cars whisked past severe signs saying “NO cell phones allowed in jail”, while residents at the halfway house next door piled into the car park to jostle for a glimpse of the commotion.

Once inside, the Republican frontrunner, 77, posed for the first-ever mugshot of a former president - which within an hour had already become the bread-and-butter of his 2024 campaign.

Just 22 minutes after he was escorted in, Mr Trump had been bailed for $200,000 and was being whisked past the gaggle of reporters who were drenched in sweat after waiting more than 12 hours for his appearance.

As his blacked-out car pulled out, Mr Trump could be seen clutching the handle on the roof of the car as he gave a thumbs up to the press. 

But those who had been most desperate to see Mr Trump on Thursday night were crestfallen.

Swathes of his supporters had been camped out all day in the 34-degree heat at the other entrance to the jail, about a seven-minute walk away.

Bob Kunst, an 81-year-old gay Jewish activist from Miami, who had been holding up an enormous sign saying “lock up Biden” since 7.30am, said he was left “exhausted and disappointed” when his hero didn’t appear.

“I was hoping Trump would come out this way,” he told The Telegraph.

“I wanted him to see his supporters and all the positivity out here. People have travelled all over the country to show up for him.”

He described the string of indictments - this being Mr Trump’s fourth - as “unAmerican”.

“But it’s not hurting Trump, it’s helping him,” he added.

Other Trump fans were seen slumping away from the entrance as night began to fall, clutching their Make America Great Again signs and flags.

Rice Street, a usually quiet road outside the jail, had earlier been transformed into an expanse of red, white and blue as supporters piled in behind police barricades to protest the arrest.

Dressed head-to-toe in MAGA attire, supporters proudly displayed signs accusing Mr Trump’s fourth indictment of being a “witch hunt”, while others called for the authorities to “lock up” district attorney Fani Willis.

Meanwhile, officers patrolled the entrance on foot, quickly admonishing protesters or journalists who stepped outside the metal barriers.

Trump supporter since 13

While many of Mr Trump’s supporters out on Thursday had been to several indictments and countless rallies, it was one fan’s first time.

Hiding her face behind dark sunglasses and a large coat with its hood tightened around her face to avoid being identified, a sweltering college student, 19, said she was concerned about being “politically persecuted” if she was pictured at the protest.

The student, who did not want to give her name, said she had been a supporter of Mr Trump since she was 13.

Asked why, she said: “My parents are conservative for one thing, also, I suppose influence from the internet.”

She said the protest was: “very exciting”, adding: “I’d expect there to be more younger people, more Gen Z people, but I suppose it is quite difficult to get here on such short notice.”

Marooned in the crowd was a sprinkling of anti-Trump supporters.

Laurie Arbeter, 64, from New York told the Telegraph she was “at ease” despite being outnumbered by her political opponents.

“If they express violence, then it’s their violence”, she said.

At one point she was seen surrounded by MAGA supporters, who assured her she was “safe” given the number of cameras around, with one quipping: “At least you’re not wearing a mask.”  

Stan Simberg, 71, had been flogging badges from his “anti-Trumpism bandwagon” outside the jail. 

One of his designs showed a picture of Fani Willis with the caption: “Fani the flames of justice”.

While he has sold thousands of badges since Mr Trump became the Republican nominee in 2016, he said Thursday was quiet given the limited number of  Trump protesters. He plans to create a string of new creations with Mr Trump’s mugshot.

Mr Trump’s 18 co-defendants began turning themselves into the Atlanta court earlier this week ahead of Friday’s deadline.

Rudy Giuliani surrendered to the court on Wednesday, with the sheriff’s office putting out a mugshot of the former New York Mayor shortly after.