Tue, Sep 17, 2019
Action Comes Amid Concerns About The 'Storm Area 51' Event Planned For This Weekend
In case you haven't heard, there are several events planned this weekend being organized through a Facebook group to "Storm Area 51", that has been interpreted as having a large group of people flood on to the secretive base in an effort to look for aliens or the remains of aliens.
Notwithstanding that NPR had an interview back in August with Matty Roberts, the founder of the group, in which she said basically "don't do it" and that she was never serious, the idea has gained a lot of momentum. There are websites set up where one can purchase a "Storm Area 51" T-shirt with the slogan "They Can't Stop Us All" as a rallying cry.
There are other events planned as well, which may or may not come to fruition. But the U.S. Government is taking it seriously enough that they have posted NOTAMs announcing a two TFRs in the area. One is to the north of the restricted airspace over the base which extends from the ground to FL 180, allowing only military aircraft to transit the area below that altitude. A second TFR has been established south of the base where last week two Dutch YouTubers were arrested after crossing the base's perimeter, and where in January the driver of a car was killed after penetrating the restricted area.
The Drive reports that the southern TFR is closer to Las Vegas, leading authorities to believe more people will congregate in the tiny community of Rachel, NV. That was the announced location for something called "Alienstock" ... but the planning for that event appears to have fallen apart. Due to the proximity to Las Vegas, airliners arriving and departing from that city often fly near the area, so it only extends up to 7,000 feet.
All in all, the U.S. Government does not appear to be taking any chances. The TFRs are in place from Sept. 18-23, with the events being "planned" for this weekend.
Go ahead and buy a t-shirt. Capitalism is a good thing. But storming a very secretive and highly secure military base ... probably not so much.
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