The Area 51 storm was always going to go one of two ways, according to the Internet memes.

Option one:

We were going to show up and a wave of Kyles, aided by furries and Karens, would distract the fire of the armed guards while the rest of us snuck around the back, at which point we would liberate the aliens from their captors and "clap alien cheeks". Nobody would get injured because we had Naruto run at the guards (thus dodging all their bullets).

 

Option two:

We would actually show up and it would play out realistically. The wave of Kyles and Karens would be mown down by army fire as they attempted to Naruto run into an actual military air base.

So, in many ways, it's probably best that it played out as secret option number three: Everyone realized it was a joke and basically behaved themselves, bar one or two minor incidents. 

People arrived with the expressed intention to "clap them cheeks".

And practiced their Naruto run. A lot.

But when it came down to actually raiding Area 51, that didn't actually materialize.

That isn't to say that the police didn't have to get involved.

"On September 20 at approximately 3am, Nye County Sheriff's Office responded to the alien travel center on highway 373," the Sheriff's Office said in a video statement.

"Crowds of approximately 40 people surrounded the parking lot of the travel center and made threats to storm the gates of Area 51. The crowd was compliant for commands from deputies and eventually dispersed. Some participants then assembled at the north and south gates, but heeded warnings upon confrontation with law enforcement and retreated. Several participants moved back and forth between the two gates and crowds continued to gather."

If they were going to Naruto run at all, now was their chance.

"At approximately 05:00, all participants had retreated and dispersed. Everyone was compliant and peaceful. All Nye County resources were returned to their assigned posts."

The closest they came to any actual confrontation was one incident that resulted in a woman being detained for trying to trespass into Area 51, whilst a man was arrested for public urination just outside Area 51.

Part of the "raid" was captured on YouTube.