A FACEBOOK event titled Storm Area 51, They Can’t Stop All Of Us now has more than one million users saying they will attend.

The proposed raid of the top-secret US Edwards Air Force base is scheduled for September 20, 2019, at 3am local time. It has inspired a flurry of alien-related memes on social media, and another 900,00 have “registered their interest”.

So, they’ve taken the internet by storm, but what about Area 51?

WHY ARE THEY DOING THIS?
“TO see them aliens,” is the official explanation the organisers have given.

Area 51, in the Amargosa Valley, Nevada, is surrounded by secrecy – it’s used, at least, for the testing of experimental military technology.

Its existence as a military base was only officially acknowledged in 2013, eight years after a Freedom of Information Act request.

However, all this secrecy has left plenty of room for theories to grow, most of which involve aliens.

Crashed UFOs, extraterrestrial visitors, technology from other planets ... Area 51 has been said to have it all – and that’s what these people want to see.

The National:

Or, maybe, it’s all just a bit of fun.

READ MORE: The planet on course to annihilate all life on Earth (apparently)

WHAT’S THEIR PLAN?
ON the off-chance it’s taken seriously, attendees are to meet up at the Area 51 Alien Center Tourist Attraction to co-ordinate their attack.

The perimeter around Area 51 is fiercely protected, with lethal force authorised for trespassers. A man was shot in January by authorities after he tried driving into the site. He was carrying an unidentified cylindrical object.

The Facebook page notes their secret weapon in this regard: “If we naruto run, we can move faster than their bullets.”

“Naruto run” refers to the protagonist of a Japanese anime series, Naruto, where the character runs with his arms stretched out behind his back.

The idea is that with one million people, there’ll be too many for the military to stop.

WHAT HAVE THE MILITARY SAID?
UNSURPRISINGLY, they’ve been quiet on exactly what defensive measures they’d be taking, but they have confirmed awareness of the event.

Air Force spokesperson Laura McAndrews added more detail: “Area 51 is an open training range for the US Air Force and we would discourage anyone from trying to come into the area where we train American armed forces. The US Air Force always stands ready to protect America and its assets.”

WILL IT ACTUALLY HAPPEN?
GIVEN that the event is hosted by a Facebook page called “sh**posting because im in shambles”, it’s safe to say following through wasn’t the intention and it is unlikely one million people will turn up.

In saying that, we’ve seen the power of memes (think Boaty McBoatface). There could well be a few close encounters on September 20, but they’re unlikely to be of the third kind.