That unravelled quickly.

The Australian Border Force (ABF) operation that was to patrol Melbourne to target potential visa fraudsters and anti-social behaviour has been snuffed out in an afternoon.

And, in usual form, Twitter tracked the downfall of Operation Fortitude one Simpsons meme at a time.

Comparisons to Joseph Stalin, Nazi Germany and the Troubles in Northern Ireland were quickly replaced by images of a doddering Grandpa Simpson just hours after the strategy was announced on Friday morning.

By 3pm, Operation Fortitude was no more.

But before the cancellation, even before the press conference cancellation an hour earlier, there was Twitter's swift  and biting reaction to the Operation Fortitude announcement itself.

Twitter users were quick to damn the operation was racial profiling by another name.

"Just on the lookout for anti-social behaviour, sir" pic.twitter.com/K617NLpJ0H— Ketan Joshi (@KetanJ0) August 28, 2015

Don't forget your #BorderForce invisibility cloaks this weekend folks. pic.twitter.com/m09lgE6c1B— Anna Chang (@annachang) August 28, 2015

Northern Ireland, or Melbourne? #borderfarce pic.twitter.com/yOzJnGQ58s— Evan Smith (@Hatfulofhistory) August 28, 2015

Despite the ABF's confusing clarification that it would not be stopping people at random, or "does not target on the basis of race, religion, or ethnicity", Twitter was not convinced.

Immigration are checking for visas in Melb city this weekend. When I get randomly selected, I'm giving them this: pic.twitter.com/zuBWJDDnAP— Nazeem Hussain (@nazeem_hussain) August 28, 2015

The ABF and Victorian Police would have had their work cut out for them had they started their patrolling on Friday.

Hundreds protesters reportedly assembled at Flinders Street Station and outside the building where the planned press conference was to take place reportedly within an hour of the announcement.

#BorderFarce became the catch cry on Twitter.

This took one hour to organise. Remarkable. #BorderForce pic.twitter.com/RG5bRAa8pZ— Ebony Bowden (@ebonybowden) August 28, 2015

Protesters occupy the intersection of Swanston and Flinders Streets in Melbourne #BorderForce pic.twitter.com/ZK7VUYPHEE— Jean Edwards (@JeanEdwardsABC) August 28, 2015

By 2.30pm personnel of the ABF - the force that had been cast as the iron fist of a police state on Twitter not two hours earlier - were trapped inside the press conference building by the swelling crowd outside.

Holy moly! The border Force are actually TRAPPED in this building by the crowd!! pic.twitter.com/nDBUrgowlS— Liam Mannix (@liammannix) August 28, 2015

Border Force people are in the little box. Said they'll leave when it is safe to do so. pic.twitter.com/MmdixI43Dr— Josh Taylor (@joshgnosis) August 28, 2015

As news spread that the Victorian Police had pulled its support from the joint operation, so did the memes. 

Victoria Police has made a decision not to go ahead with this weekend's Operation Fortitude. Full statement → http://t.co/yXsOTYYBUg— Victoria Police (@VictoriaPolice) August 28, 2015

#OperationFortitude pic.twitter.com/WypauPWf4b— Chris Kennett (@chriskennett) August 28, 2015

#OperationFortitude: pic.twitter.com/meWFgXa4oD— Dan Smith (@0DanSmith) August 28, 2015

#borderforce #borderfarce Mission Accomplished pic.twitter.com/JDLUwAM977— Mike A.T. Edwards (@mikeATedwards) August 28, 2015

Meanwhile Melbourne right now. #soproud pic.twitter.com/B4AOhzSf89— Bhakthi (@bhakthi) August 28, 2015