Area 51 raid: Two detained by police as dozens of alien hunters gather to 'storm' secretive military base

At least two alien hunters have been detained at the gate of Area 51 in Nevada.

Reports suggested one man was arrested for urinating at the gate of the once-secret military base, while another was detained for trying to go under it.

Around two million people responded online to the joke "Storm Area 51, they can't stop all of us" Facebook event and thousands were expected to descend on two rural towns, Rachel and Hiko, near the base to "see them aliens".

Despite the page’s creator disowning the event and Facebook taking down the page, hundreds attended linked events, known as Alienstock, on Friday in each of the two towns as well as in Las Vegas, a two-hour drive away.

Joerg Arnu, a resident of Rachel, who runs an Area 51 focused website called Dreamland Resort, said the event in Rachel had “very clearly become Fyre Fest 2.0” but the event in Hiko was “quite successful and people are having a great time”.

On Friday afternoon officers were stationed outside Area 51 gates standing off with UFO hunters, some dressed as aliens, who could be seen holding signs that read “clap alien cheeks” and “locked up for what?”.

Local media reported at least one person had tried to storm the gates: "(They) didn’t make it very far (barely a step) and got a firm talking to by police. No arrests or fines that we’re aware at this point."

Others could be seen practising "naruto runs" thought to help dodge bullets while storming the base, with one even being captured during a live news report.

The US Air Force warned people not to try to enter the Nevada Test and Training Range, where Area 51 is located.

"It's public land," local police added. "They're allowed to go to the gate, as long as they don't cross the boundary."

The once-secretive military base known as Area 51 has stoked conspiracy theories that it houses the remnants of a flying saucer and bodies of its alien crew from the crash of an unidentified flying object in Rosewell, New Mexico, in 1947.

The US government did not confirm the base existed until 2013, when it released CIA archives saying the site was used to test top-secret spy planes.

As footage posted to Twitter showed hundreds of UFO fans storming on the site, the US Air Force warned: “[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 statement added: “The U.S. Air Force always stands ready to protect America and its assets.”

But for conspirators, the theory is too strong for them to heed the warnings.

Company AREA15 said they were going along to film events, tweeting: "Everyone that signed up to #StormArea51 may have called it quits. Not us! We found a small group who are still going to make a (Naruto) run for it to set the aliens free... and we're going in with them."

“This phenomenon is really a perfect blend of interest in aliens and the supernatural, government conspiracies, and the desire to know what we don’t know,” added Michael Borer a sociologist at the University of Nevada.

In the lead-up to the event, local residents feared their tiny town - with only one business, a bed and breakfast called Little A'Le'Inn, no grocery stores and no petrol station - would be overwhelmed with unruly alien hunters.

• Read more

Storm Area 51 'Naruto runner' becomes online sensation

Mr Arnu, said: “We are preparing for the worst," adding he had installed outdoor floodlights, fencing and "no trespassing" signs on his 30-acre property.

He has also organised a radio-equipped night watch of neighbours, fearing there will not be enough water, food, rubbish bins or toilets for visitors.

“Those that know what to expect camping in the desert are going to have a good time,” Mr Arnu said.