Today (September 20), thousands will gather at Area 51 in Nevada to storm the site, with some live streaming the event for those who can't attend, all in an attempt to see some aliens.
Area 51 is a secret U.S. Air Force military base located at Groom Lake, Nevada, that has been the focus of numerous conspiracies involving aliens and UFOs. These became more prominent from the 1980s following a man alleging to have worked at the installation claiming that the government was examining recovered alien spacecraft. However, none of these theories have been confirmed.
This storming of the military base was originally set up as a "hoax" using a Facebook event, "Storm Area 51, They Can't Stop Us All" by user Matty Roberts. However, it has since inspired plans for festivals such as Area 51 Basecamp, Alienstock and Area 51 Celebration. Another user, Jackson Barnes, also designed an elaborate plan for the occasion, but later on revealed that it was a joke.
However, according to a counter by Flare TV, over 2.1 million people are confirming their interest in turning up to the event on a Facebook group, with potential raiders already arriving at the scene.
Where can I watch Storm Area 51 live?
Several YouTube accounts are streaming the storm live from Nevada.
LDG Station and Isaiah Photo are the main accounts that are streaming live. The former's account already had around 32,000 live viewers at time of going to press, with commenters from around the world.
Area 15, an immersive video experience company, is also live streaming the event. People can sign up to get the details of the live stream by going on its "contact us" page, according to its Twitter.
Raiders are meeting at the Alien Center tourist attraction to "coordinate their entry." It is expected to start at midnight local time and last throughout the day.
However, the event has sparked a response from the U.S. Air Force, who issued a warning to anyone planning to trespass: "[Area 51] is an open training range for the U.S. Air Force, and we would discourage anyone from trying to come into the area where we train American armed forces.
"The U.S. Air Force always stands ready to protect America and its assets".
While the "raid" might be a joke to some, according to the Department of Justice: "Section 1382 of Title 18 forbids trespassing on military bases." It applies to any military, naval or coast guard reservation, post, fort, arsenal, yard, station or installation over which the U.S. has exclusive possession.
Persons violating this section are subject to six months imprisonment, a $500 fine, or both.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Sophia Waterfield is a reporter for Newsweek based at its London bureau. She has written for publications such as Metro UK, ... Read more
