After a Facebook group involving invading Area 51 went viral, the United States Air Force says they are “ready” for anyone who tries to infiltrate the restricted military base.
According to the Washington Post, the group gained international attention after over half a million people joined “Storm Area 51, They Can’t Stop All of Us” last week. Although creator Jackson Barnes stated the idea was a joke and is not responsible for anyone who actually invades the military base, the U.S. Air Force is handling the matter seriously.
“I just thought it would be funny and get me some thumbsy uppies on the Internet. I’m not responsible if people decide to actually storm area 51.”
\Air Force spokeswoman Laura McAndrews said in a statement that officials are aware of the event but did not disclose their security measures.
“[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.”
The Facebook group has prompted social media users to create memes in reference to what would happen if they captured an ‘alien’ from Area 51.
The event was scheduled for September 20 but it unclear if anyone will actually visit the military base in Nevada.
