Fourth of July: fears of the coronavirus second wave did not prevent revelers in the US and UK hitting the beaches and the bars

• Large crowds came together to celebrate in both the US and the UK on July Fourth.
• Beaches, parks, and streets across the US thronged with people celebrating Independence Day, despite parts of the country recording record high coronavirus cases.
• In England, revelers marked the reopening of pubs, bars, and restaurants by drinking in the streets in large groups, prompting fears of a second wave of the pandemic.
• "What was crystal clear is that drunk people can't/won't socially distance," said Chairman of the Police Federation John Apter.

Independence Day in the US and "Super Saturday" in the UK resulted in revelers coming together to celebrate on both sides of the Atlantic on July 4, however the crowds are drawing criticism for their lack of social distancing amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Beaches in San Diego, California; Cocoa Beach, Florida; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; and Coney Island, New York were busy over both July 3 and 4, photos suggest.

Saturday also saw Florida and Texas reporting record high coronavirus cases, according to the FT.

Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Giménez had last week announced an emergency order to close all beaches in the county for the Fourth of July weekend. The majority of beaches in Southern California were also closed, according to the LA Times.

Other parts of the US still marked the occasion, such as Belle Fourche, South Dakota, where a parade was followed by a rodeo, evening dance, carnival and other festivities.

Many Independence Day parades, parties, and fireworks displays across the US were canceled in light of the country's rising coronavirus numbers, but this didn't stop the White House from throwing a large event with a fly-over and fireworks, Business Insider's Michelle Mark reported.

While masks were offered to members of the public attending the event on the White House's South Lawn, they were not compulsory, any many people didn't wear them, according to The New York Times.

Across the Atlantic, many Brits came together on July Fourth to celebrate England's reopening of bars, pubs, and restaurants.

In what is being called "Super Saturday," eateries and bars were able to welcome back customers — provided they could maintain social distancing.

However, photos suggest that as the night went on, many people gave up trying to maintain their distance.

In central London, the streets of Soho bustled with drinkers savoring their first pints of beer in months, with police monitoring the situation.

Chairman of the Police Federation John Apter was on shift in Southampton, England. He said: "What was crystal clear is that drunk people can't/won't socially distance," The Evening Standard reported.

"It was a busy night but the shift managed to cope. I know other areas have had issues with officers being assaulted."

On social media, people have been expressing their concerns over the images and fears of a second wave of the coronavirus.

Estate agent Stephen Lowe tweeted a video of the scene in Soho at 10 p.m., describing it as "absolute madness."

—Stephen Brian Lowe (@StephenBLowe) July 4, 2020

The Metropolitan Police said there were "no significant issues" in London, according to the BBC.

Elsewhere in the country, such as Devon and Nottinghamshire, the police had to deal with "drink-related" incidents and anti-social behavior.