The Miami Mall Aliens rumor ignited in January 2024 after a massive police presence at Bayside Marketplace led to wild internet speculation. While official reports cited a large group of teenagers fighting with fireworks, viral TikTok and X (Twitter) videos claimed to show 8-to-10-foot-tall 'shadow beings' or interdimensional entities flickering in the grainy footage. The meme exploded as a mix of genuine conspiracy theorizing and heavy irony, with users mocking the sheer number of patrol cars sent to the scene. It is now frequently used to joke about government cover-ups, low-quality UFO footage, or any situation where a minor event is blown out of proportion by online sleuths.