Emilie Meyer
In 2019, a Facebook event titled Storm Area 51, They Can't Stop All of Us went viral, with 2 million people saying they would attend and another 1.5 million expressing interest. The event, created as a joke by Matty Roberts, called for people to raid the highly classified US military base in Nevada to uncover secrets related to aliens and UFOs. While only around 150 people showed up, the event and its popularity sparked concerns from local governments and police, who anticipated large crowds and issued warnings against trespassing onto the military base.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of people who expressed interest in the event | 3.5 million |
| Number of people who planned to attend | 2 million |
| Number of people who actually showed up | 150 |
| Number of people who signed up on Facebook | 250,000 |
| Number of people who said they were "interested" on Facebook | 283,000 |
| Number of people the county anticipated | 40,000 |
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What You'll Learn
The event was created as a joke by Matty Roberts
The event "Storm Area 51, They Can't Stop All of Us" was created as a joke by 20-year-old Matty Roberts, a student and Bakersfield, California resident. Roberts was a moderator of the Facebook page "Shitposting cause I'm in shambles", which involves posting content online with intentionally ironic or poor quality.
Roberts created the event after watching Area 51 conspiracy theorist Bob Lazar and filmmaker Jeremy Corbell on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast on June 20, 2019. He created the event on Facebook just a week later, on June 27, 2019. The event was planned to take place in Amargosa Valley from 3 a.m. to 6 a.m. PDT on September 20, 2019.
The plan was to charge at the base in large enough numbers to overwhelm security and uncover putative secrets like alien technology and secretive research. The idea was that participants would "'Naruto run' with their arms stretched behind them, allowing them to "move faster than their bullets".
The event quickly went viral, with more than 250,000 people signing up to attend and another 283,000 people expressing interest. Local governments and police feared that the event and its popularity could be problematic, and Lincoln County officials drafted an emergency declaration in anticipation of large crowds. The U.S. Air Force also issued a warning, stating that Area 51 is an open training range and that anyone attempting to illegally access the area would be stopped.
In the end, only around 150 people showed up to the event, which some have described as a “huge fiasco". Two people were injured in a rollover crash near Rachel, Nevada, and one victim was airlifted to a medical center. Roberts pulled out of the Alienstock festival, which was organized in response to the event's popularity, just 10 days before it was set to take place.
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3.5 million people expressed interest
In 2019, 3.5 million people expressed interest in attending an event organised by 20-year-old Matty Roberts, a student and resident of Bakersfield, California. The event, titled "Storm Area 51, They Can't Stop All of Us", was created as a joke on Facebook. The supposed plan was to charge at the base in large enough numbers to overwhelm security and uncover secrets such as alien technology and research. Area 51, a highly classified US military installation in Nevada, has long been the subject of speculation and conspiracy theories, with tales of UFOs and government cover-ups.
The event sparked concern from officials, with the Air Force issuing a warning and stating that the US Air Force stands ready to protect America and its assets. The FBI also monitored the situation. In anticipation of large crowds, Lincoln County officials drafted an emergency declaration and planned to pool resources with neighbouring counties. Two music festivals, Alienstock and Storm Area 51 Basecamp, were also organised in response to the event's popularity.
Despite the high number of people expressing interest online, only around 150 people showed up at the gates of Area 51. The event organiser, Matty Roberts, pulled out of Alienstock 10 days prior, citing poor planning. The small turnout was described as a "'huge fiasco' and a 'smaller-scale Fyre Festival for the alien crowd'.
While the storming of Area 51 did not materialise as planned, the event highlighted the public's fascination with the mysterious site and the enduring appeal of conspiracy theories. The intense secrecy surrounding Area 51 has fuelled speculation and captured the imagination of many, with the base becoming a prominent feature in pop culture.
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Only 150 people showed up
In 2019, a Facebook event titled "Storm Area 51, They Can't Stop All of Us" went viral, with 2 million people saying they would attend and an additional 283,000 expressing interest. The event was planned to take place in the early morning of September 20, 2019, in Amargosa Valley, Nevada, with attendees coordinating a plan of attack to enter the heavily guarded site and uncover secrets related to alien technology and research.
However, despite the massive online interest, only around 150 people showed up at the gates of Area 51. Some attendees arrived as early as 3 a.m., and there were reports of unusual behaviour, such as a man allegedly urinating in public. The small turnout may be attributed to the fact that it started as a joke, with many people expressing interest online without any serious intention of participating.
The "Storm Area 51" event sparked concerns among local governments and authorities, who anticipated large crowds and potential safety issues. Lincoln County officials drafted an emergency declaration, expecting a crowd of 40,000 people that could overwhelm local infrastructure. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) also imposed temporary flight restrictions near Area 51 during the planned raid.
The event inspired copycat plans to storm other locations, such as the US Capitol Building and the Vatican City archives. It also led to the creation of two music festivals, Alienstock in Rachel, Nevada, and Storm Area 51 Basecamp in Hiko, Nevada, further contributing to concerns about crowd management and safety.
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Local governments feared overcrowding
Local governments and police feared overcrowding as a result of the Storm Area 51 event. The event, created as a joke by 20-year-old Bakersfield, California resident Matty Roberts, saw 3.5 million people express interest in attending on Facebook. The plan was to charge at the base in large enough numbers to overwhelm security and uncover secrets related to alien technology and research.
The event was scheduled to take place in the small town of Rachel, Nevada, on September 20, 2019, from 3 a.m. PDT. Rachel, with a population of around 50 people, was expected to be overwhelmed by the potential influx of attendees. Lincoln County officials anticipated the region being swamped by a crowd of 40,000 people, far exceeding the county's accommodation capacity of 184 hotel rooms.
There were also concerns about the local infrastructure's ability to cope with the additional traffic. Officials worried about overcrowding at campsites, gas stations, and public medical facilities. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) even posted temporary flight restrictions, closing the airspace above two places near Area 51 during the planned raid.
The potential for overcrowding and the strain on local resources led to fears of a possible humanitarian disaster. The tiny town of Rachel braced for huge crowds, with the local sheriff stating that they were "not equipped to deal with the masses of people that are trying to get here."
In the end, the event did not live up to the expectations set by the online interest. Only around 150 people showed up at the gates of Area 51, with the majority of attendees gathering at the two music festivals held in nearby counties.
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The event sparked copycat raids
The Storm Area 51 event sparked copycat raids, with people planning to storm other sites of intrigue, including a genealogical vault of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Loch Ness, the Bermuda Triangle, the US Capitol Building, and the Vatican City's archives. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) also posted two temporary flight restrictions, closing the airspace above two places near Area 51.
The event's popularity led to the creation of two music festivals in the county: Alienstock in Rachel, Nevada, and Storm Area 51 Basecamp in Hiko, Nevada. Local governments and police were concerned about the potential for problems if too many people attended these events. Matty Roberts, the creator of the Storm Area 51 event, pulled out of Alienstock ten days before the festival, citing poor planning. He instead joined an alien-themed party in Las Vegas.
In anticipation of potential crowds, Lincoln County officials drafted an emergency declaration and planned to pool resources with neighbouring counties. The county had only 184 hotel rooms, and officials expected overcrowding at campsites, gas stations, and public medical facilities. The Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS), the military's public relations office, tweeted a photo of military personnel with a B-2 stealth bomber and captioned it: "The last thing #Millennials will see if they attempt the #area51raid today". The tweet was later deleted, and an apology was issued.
The event attracted widespread media attention, with the Air Force, FBI, and local law enforcement monitoring the situation. The US Air Force warned people not to attempt to enter the area, and the US military stated that lethal force would be used if necessary to keep people out. Despite the hype, only around 150 people showed up at the gates of Area 51, falling far short of the expected turnout.
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Frequently asked questions
Around 250,000 people signed up to attend the Facebook event, with an additional 283,000 expressing interest.
Only around 150 people attended the event.
The event was created as a joke, with the aim of uncovering secrets related to aliens and UFOs, which Area 51 is rumoured to house.
Yes, the event caused some problems for local governments and police, who were concerned about managing large crowds. There were also two injuries reported in a crash near Rachel, Nevada.
Yes, the US Air Force issued a warning, stating that Area 51 is an open training range and discouraging anyone from attempting to enter the area. The FBI also stated that they would be monitoring the situation.
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