This archive report was first published on 5 July 2020.
On Saturday, July 4, 2020, pubs and restaurants in England finally reopened after a three-month coronavirus hiatus, dubbed 'Super Saturday' or 'Independence Day.'
However, the grand reopening was marred by chaos and concerns over social distancing, with police reporting a high number of incidents involving drunk people.
According to John Apter, the head of Britain's police federation, officers dealt with 'naked men, happy drunks, angry drunks, fights and more angry drunks' while on shift.
He stated, 'What was crystal clear is that drunk people can't/won't socially distance.'
Police reports from Saturday night showed a similar level of mischief-making across England, with nearly 1,000 reports of 'drink-related disorder and anti-social behaviour' logged in the southwestern Devon and Cornwall region.
There were also reports of illegal raves in London and the northeast that resulted in mass arrests, as well as disorder in the north Midlands.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock defended the government's decision-making, saying, 'From what I've seen, although there's some pictures to the contrary, very, very largely people have acted responsibly.'
However, the government's decision to reopen pubs and restaurants on a Saturday has been questioned, with some arguing that it may have contributed to the chaos.
