# Storm Area 51 > Storm Area 51 is a June 2019 satirical Facebook event by Matty Roberts titled "They Can't Stop All of Us," rallying millions to Naruto-run into Area 51 searching for aliens. Storm Area 51 was a satirical Facebook event created on June 27, 2019, by Matty Roberts, a 20-year-old college student from Bakersfield, California. Titled "Storm Area 51, They Can't Stop All of Us," the event called for millions of people to charge the classified Air Force facility in the Nevada desert using the anime-inspired "Naruto run" to dodge bullets and "see them aliens." What started as a late-night shitpost attracted over 2 million RSVPs, prompted an official military response, spawned real-world festivals, and became one of the defining internet moments of 2019[1][2]. ## Origin On the evening of June 27, 2019, Matty Roberts was scrolling Facebook after watching an episode of *The Joe Rogan Experience* featuring Bob Lazar, a self-proclaimed Area 51 whistleblower who claimed to have reverse-engineered alien spacecraft at the base[1]. Roberts, a Bakersfield College student who worked at a vape kiosk in the Valley Plaza Mall, ran a small Facebook shitposting page called "Shitposting cause I'm in shambles"[3]. That night, he created a Facebook event rather than a typical image post, setting it for September 20, 2019, from 3 a.m. to 6 a.m. PDT at Amargosa Valley near the base[6]. The event description read: "We will all meet up at the Area 51 Alien Center tourist attraction and coordinate our entry. If we Naruto run, we can move faster than their bullets. Lets see them aliens"[4]. Roberts later described the idea as "the ultimate shitpost," expecting it to get a few laughs from his page's roughly 40 followers[3]. For the first three days, it picked up only about 40 responses[6]. Then it exploded. - **Platform:** Facebook - **Creator:** Matty Roberts (event creator), SmyleeKun (co-host) - **Date:** 2019 ## Overview Storm Area 51 is a meme born from a Facebook event that proposed a mass civilian raid on Area 51, the classified U.S. Air Force facility in Nevada long associated with UFO conspiracy theories. The premise was simple and absurd: if enough people showed up at once, the military couldn't stop them all. The event's description suggested attendees use the "Naruto run," a distinctive running style from the anime series *Naruto* where characters sprint with their arms stretched behind them, to outrun bullets[4]. The meme generated thousands of image macros, video edits, and shitposts imagining what people would find inside the base, how they'd befriend their rescued aliens, and the various tactical approaches to breaching government security[12]. ## How It Spread By July 8, over 120,000 people had RSVPed[13]. Two days later, the number hit 222,891[8]. By July 22, it doubled again past 400,000[5]. The pace didn't slow. Within weeks, over 1.5 million users clicked "going," with another 1.4 million marking "interested"[5]. The event eventually peaked at more than 2 million "going" and 1.5 million "interested" signatures by late August 2019[5]. The meme spilled off Facebook almost immediately, spreading across TikTok, Reddit, Instagram, and Twitter[6]. Users posted tactical maps for breaching the facility, memes about adopting aliens as pets, and jokes about what the government was really hiding. A pinned comment on the event page laid out an elaborate (and clearly satirical) battle plan involving "Kyles" fueled by Monster Energy drinks and psilocybin serving as the front line[11]. On July 10, Air Force spokeswoman Laura McAndrews told *The Washington Post*: "We would discourage anyone from trying to come into the area where we train American armed forces"[2]. The FBI stated they would monitor the situation[6]. These responses only fueled the meme further. Rapper Lil Nas X dropped an animated music video on July 16 for the Young Thug and Mason Ramsey remix of "Old Town Road," depicting a Naruto-running Keanu Reeves raiding Area 51[2]. The video hit YouTube's trending chart almost immediately[11]. Brands piled on too, with Funyuns, DiGiorno, Kool-Aid, Burger King, and others posting their own Area 51 takes, earning them a collective "silence, brand" from most of the internet[9]. Facebook briefly removed the event page in late July, telling Roberts it violated community standards. After media coverage of the takedown, Facebook restored it, calling the removal "a mistake"[5]. ## How to Use Storm Area 51 memes typically follow a few common formats: 1. **Alien rescue fantasies**: Post an image or animation showing what you'd do with your new alien friend after liberating them from Area 51. Common scenarios include introducing your alien to human food, movies, or social customs[12]. 2. **Tactical planning**: Create mock battle plans, maps, or military-style strategies for breaching the base. The more absurd the better, such as suggesting that "Kyles" fueled by Monster Energy should form an "impenetrable wall"[11]. 3. **Government reaction**: Imagine what military personnel are thinking as millions of shitposters RSVP to raid their facility[8]. 4. **Naruto run references**: Depict people or characters doing the Naruto run toward some goal, usually captioned with a variation of "they can't stop all of us"[4]. 5. **Object labeling**: Apply the Storm Area 51 framework to other situations, labeling one side as the "raiders" and another as the "guards" to comment on any lopsided confrontation. ## Cultural Impact Storm Area 51 crossed from internet joke to mainstream news within days. Every major U.S. outlet covered it, from CNN to Fox News[5]. The Air Force issued official statements[2], the FBI visited the creator's home[3], and the FAA enacted flight restrictions[6]. An Oklahoma animal shelter repurposed the trend, asking people to "storm" their facility and adopt pets instead of raiding a military base[2]. Bud Light produced a limited "Alien Brew" with an alien on the label[8]. A wave of other brands jumped on, though Mashable documented how most of these corporate attempts fell flat with audiences[9]. Lil Nas X's *Old Town Road* remix video, released during peak Storm Area 51 fever, folded the meme into what was already the biggest song in the country[2]. Kevin Jonas suggested the Jonas Brothers' Happiness Begins Tour could play the "post-raid rave"[12]. The event cost the U.S. military an estimated $11 million in preparation, a figure Colonel Craddock defended by citing the range of worst-case scenarios including a potential mass casualty event[3]. The meme's real-world impact on Rachel, Nevada was significant: a town of 54 people had to prepare for thousands of visitors, straining local infrastructure and prompting emergency declarations from two Nevada counties[1]. Netflix later featured the saga in its *Trainwreck* docuseries, released July 29, 2025, treating it as a case study in how internet jokes can spiral into costly real-world events[3]. ## Fun Facts - Roberts was inspired to create the event after watching Bob Lazar on Joe Rogan's podcast, but he wasn't taking Lazar's claims seriously. "First and foremost, it's a shitposting page," he told Vox[1]. - The event was briefly deleted by Facebook for violating community standards. Facebook later called it "a mistake" and restored the page as if nothing happened[5]. - Pornhub reported that searches for "Area 51" went from zero to 160,000 in four days, and women were 33% more likely than men to search for "alien" content during the surge[15]. - After the whole ordeal, Roberts made just $1,700 from selling T-shirts. He went right back to working at his vape kiosk in Bakersfield the following week[3]. - The military's preparation for the event, at an estimated $11 million, cost roughly 6,500 times more than Roberts earned from it[3]. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is Storm Area 51? Storm Area 51 was a satirical Facebook event created on June 27, 2019, titled "Storm Area 51, They Can't Stop All of Us," which jokingly proposed that millions of people charge the classified Nevada Air Force facility to find alien life[1]. ### Where did Storm Area 51 come from? The event was created by Matty Roberts, a 20-year-old Bakersfield College student, after he watched an episode of *The Joe Rogan Experience* featuring Area 51 conspiracy theorist Bob Lazar[1]. ### What does Storm Area 51 mean? The meme plays on the long-running conspiracy theory that Area 51 hides evidence of extraterrestrial life, combined with the absurd premise that a large enough mob of civilians could overwhelm military security[4]. ### How do you use Storm Area 51? Common formats include creating memes about tactical plans to breach the base, imagining life with a rescued alien friend, or depicting the Naruto run toward the facility. The template is often adapted for other "storm" scenarios[12]. ### Is Storm Area 51 still popular? While the original meme peaked in the summer of 2019, it experienced renewed interest with the July 2025 Netflix documentary *Trainwreck: Storm Area 51* and is well-remembered as a defining internet moment of its era[3]. ### Who created Storm Area 51? Matty Roberts, who ran the Facebook page "Shitposting cause I'm in shambles," created the event on June 27, 2019. The event also listed SmyleeKun, a Twitch streamer, and an event planning account as co-hosts[1][4]. ### Did anyone actually storm Area 51? About 150 people showed up at the gates on September 20, 2019, but nobody successfully entered the base. One woman was detained at the gate, and Laura Prater, 65, was arrested after ducking under the barrier and walking toward the facility[6][7]. ### What is the Naruto run? The Naruto run is a running style from the anime *Naruto* where characters sprint with their torso leaned forward and arms stretched behind them. The Storm Area 51 event description claimed this technique could make runners "faster than their bullets"[4]. ### How many people signed up for Storm Area 51? Over 2 million Facebook users marked themselves as "going" and another 1.5 million clicked "interested" by late August 2019[5]. ### How much did Storm Area 51 cost the military? According to the Netflix documentary *Trainwreck*, the U.S. military spent an estimated $11 million preparing for the event, which Colonel Cavan Craddock defended as necessary given the potential for a mass casualty event[3]. ### What was Alienstock? Alienstock was a music festival originally planned by Roberts and Rachel, Nevada innkeeper Connie West to coincide with the Storm Area 51 date. Roberts later pulled out over logistical disputes, and West held her own version while Roberts hosted a separate event in Las Vegas[1][3]. ### Did the FBI visit Matty Roberts? Yes. FBI agents visited Roberts at his home to determine whether he was actually planning a violent assault on the military base. He explained it was a joke, but claimed they told him he'd be responsible if anyone tried to breach the facility[3]. ### What happened to Matty Roberts after Storm Area 51? Roberts made approximately $1,700 from selling T-shirts at the Las Vegas Area 51 Celebration event. He returned to his job at a vape kiosk in Bakersfield the following week[3]. ### What spinoff events did Storm Area 51 inspire? Notable copycats included Storm the Bermuda Triangle, Storm Loch Ness, Storm the Woodchip Pile in Tasmania, and Storm BlizzCon 2019[5][7][14]. ### Was there a documentary about Storm Area 51? Netflix released *Trainwreck: Storm Area 51*, a two-part documentary, on July 29, 2025, featuring interviews with Roberts, military officials, and local law enforcement about how the joke spiraled into a real security concern[3]. ## References 1. [We regret to inform you that brands are storming Area 51 memes | Mashable]() 2. [‘Storm Area 51’: Alien Hunters Planning Summer Raid on Top-secret Nevada Air Force Base. Seriously - Newsweek]() 3. [Storm Area 51 Mega Thread and Continuing Coverage | eBaum's World]() 4. [Storm Area 51]() 5. [Storm Area 51 - Urban Dictionary]() 6. [Nearly 200K People Have Signed Up to Steal Alien Secrets from Area 51 in Late-Summer Raid | Live Science]() 7. [Storm Area 51 event removed from Facebook 'by accident' | Fox News]() 8. [Viral Facebook event 'Storm the Woodchip Pile' cancelled after intervention by Tasmania Police | The Advocate | Burnie, TAS]() 9. [Alien Insights - Pornhub Insights]() 10. [Storm Area 51, They Can't Stop All of Us]() 11. [More than 165,000 'alien hunters' say they will storm Area 51 to look for extraterrestrial life | Daily Mail Online]() 12. [Over 120,000 alien hunters will 'storm Area 51' to discover the truth | Metro News]() 13. [All Those Storming Area 51 Memes, Explained: From the Original Facebook Event to the Celebs Who've Joined In | Entertainment Tonight]() 14. [The Area 51 meme and the strange, winding tale of Matty Roberts | Vox]() 15. [Storm Area 51, The Internet Joke That Sparked A Media Frenzy]() 16. [How Area 51 memes enticed a generation to storm a military base | The Independent | The Independent]() 17. [What Was Storm Area 51? The True Story Behind Netflix's 'Trainwreck']() 18. [Storm Area 51, Explained: How An Online Joke Turned Into Viral Sensation]() 19. [How the Area 51 Raid Meme Became the Big Joke of the Galaxy | TIME]() 20. [Storm Area 51 Meme — Origin, Meaning, History | MemesGuy]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/storm-area-51 Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library