In Lincoln County (USA, Nevada, 140 kilometers from Las Vegas), near the towns of Heiko and Rachel (their total population is only 173 people) is one of the most secret places on Earth - the so-called "Area 51". Until 2013, this object was classified, it was impossible to find any data about it even on the Internet. In fact, there is a US military base, where, according to many journalists, the study of alien life forms is being conducted. At the end of 2019, more than 2 million Americans planned to begin the "assault on Area 51" in order to finally understand what the US military had been hiding for so long. How did it all end?
How did it all start?
No detailed data on Area 51 is freely available. According to analysts, earlier there was a military base where experimental tests were carried out using flying equipment. Repeatedly in these parts, eyewitnesses noticed unidentified flying objects. And so it was until 2013, when satellite images of the base did not appear in the public domain (they were subsequently deleted, but some of the images were preserved). It was then that the base became "open", it was retrained into training. But many Americans do not believe this and argue that the main complex of "Area 51" is located underground. And the military base itself is just a cover from prying eyes.
It was these images that appeared in the public domain. The US authorities blamed the intelligence of the warring countries, including Russia.
Matty Roberts is an ordinary American who once jokingly posted a Facebook post in a humorous group calling for an "assault on Area 51" to finally get proof of the alien existence. This appeal, unexpectedly for everyone, was supported by more than 2 million Americans. And the date of the event was set on September 20, 2019. By the way, both Matty himself and the administration of the group, where the post was originally posted, subsequently disowned this venture (and even deleted the post). But later a new group was created dedicated to the storming of the closed territory, where it was already seriously proposed to "free the aliens." Information about the event became viral, which even the leaders of the US Air Force were worried about.
Preparation for the assault and the reaction of the authorities
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"Preparation" for the assault began on September 16. At the same time, Haiko and Rachel became a haven for all those who planned to visit Area 51. Almost a week earlier, the desert villages turned into a kind of center for the "alien festival". Already on September 17, more than 70 people arrived there as tourists.
Published plan to storm Area 51. This is a joke scheme, but it has been shown on American TV several times.
The authorities were worried about the intention to carry out an "assault", arguing that the military has the right to use weapons against those who try to enter the closed area under the security air force. And a week before September 20, an additional perimeter with barbed wire and additional searchlights appeared around the base. The entire military base was transferred to enhanced security.
As early as September 17, some eyewitnesses attempted to penetrate the fence of Area 51. Govert Swip and Tees Grandsier were caught by the US military for trying to dig under the perimeter of a protected facility. As a result, they were sent to court with the confiscation of all available equipment (worth about 10 thousand dollars).
Starting from September 18th, the so-called "meme festival" began in Haiko. It was visited by about 2 thousand people. For the most part, they just listened to music, drank alcohol, and danced. The media claimed that none of those present was preparing for the real assault on Area 51, and everything that happened was more like a huge open-air disco.
Assault on Site 51
On September 20, at 16:45 local time, an assault was planned. About 80 people came close to the gates of Zone 51. They were not aggressive, mostly taking pictures against the background of a military facility or talking with officers at the checkpoint.
This event could not do without radical activists.
All this was more like folk festivities. They even brought a huge model of a flying saucer, not to mention hundreds of inflatable "aliens" dolls. Eyewitnesses say that all this was prepared by those who planned to conduct the "assault". But the participants claim that many of the sets were installed by the military themselves. Thus, they tried to make the whole event a joke, to weaken the aggressive mood of the "storm troopers". Who is right - now it will not be possible to find out.
But as a result, the assault was recognized as such, which did not take place. Of the majority of those present, no one came close to the checkpoint, as this was punishable by a $ 1,000 fine with confiscation of property. The military did not use weapons, but did not even allow anyone to even approach the checkpoint. It is not known exactly how many military personnel were in Area 51 at that moment, but clearly dozens of times more than "attack aircraft".
But several incidents did happen (according to news reports):
- One of the women present tried to crawl under the barbed wire fence. In addition to the many scratches she received, she was subsequently fined $ 1,000.
- One of the men urinated on the barbed wire fence. He was also handed over to the local sheriff for an offense report.
The military was as loyal to everyone else as possible. In theory, almost everyone could be arrested for being in a public place under the influence of alcohol. But the officers preferred to simply “talk” with the “stormtroopers”, not using force or weapons against them.
What happened to those who decided to storm?
Most of all "suffered" from the event Govert Swip. By a court decision, he was arrested for 10 days, adding a fine of $ 2,000 (for attempting to illegally enter a closed facility and for parking in the wrong place). All others who tried to infiltrate the base received fines of up to $ 1,000. There were no casualties after September 20, 2019.
In total, the assault, which was originally considered a joke, was supported by more than 2 million Americans. The event has become so massive that it is planned to hold the “festival” again in 2020. Haiko and Rachel are hoping for this: the villages could soon become a popular tourist destination.
