The Church of Scientology has taken drastic measures at its California centers, removing door handles and limiting public access after a TikTok trend encouraged teenagers to storm into the buildings and sprint down their corridors. The trend, known as 'speed running,' involves young people filming themselves dashing through multiple Scientology facilities in Los Angeles, evading security guards to see how far they can get before being caught.
Church Condemns the Trend
The fiercely private religious organization denounced the fad in a statement to The Independent, describing it as 'trespassing, harassment, and disruption of religious facilities.' The church claimed that over recent weeks, individuals have repeatedly forced their way into properties on Hollywood Boulevard, disrupting religious and public spaces, damaging property, and endangering staff, parishioners, and visitors. It criticized the trend for transforming 'peaceful spaces' intended to welcome parishioners and visitors into 'targets for viral stunts.'
Background of the Church
The Church of Scientology, a controversial movement founded in 1953 by science fiction author L. Ron Hubbard, is renowned for its celebrity followers, including Tom Cruise, Elisabeth Moss, and John Travolta. The strong condemnation follows a 'large-scale incident' on Saturday, when dozens of people rushed into the L. Ron Hubbard Life Exhibition and the church’s public information center, both located on Hollywood Boulevard. The church reported that staff members were knocked down in the chaos and that it is reviewing all available remedies to protect its personnel, visitors, and property.
Police Involvement and Legal Consequences
The church has reported the issue to authorities. The Los Angeles Police Department told NBC Los Angeles that they are monitoring the situation after receiving several calls, including four on Monday alone. Video from Saturday’s incident shows a large group of people, many wearing masks, yanking open the front door of a Scientology center and rushing past a security guard. The group included individuals dressed as Jesus and in a hot dog costume. In the footage, the group of at least a dozen people is chased through different rooms, with a voice yelling, 'You are trespassing, please leave! The police have been called!' The video, which garnered over 1.4 million likes on Instagram, ends with the group being escorted off the premises.
Police confirmed that at least two individuals involved are wanted on suspicion of crimes: one for burglary and another for felony vandalism. The church stated it has documented every incident with law enforcement but still welcomes 'lawful visitors.'
The Trend's Originator Speaks Out
Meanwhile, the 18-year-old reportedly responsible for starting the trend is now urging copycats to stop. The creator, who goes by Swhileyy online, told The Hollywood Reporter, 'I do not condone what I did, even though I didn’t break any laws. All I did was explore the building. I was never asked not to come back to the premises.' The creator emphasized that they 'never once' encouraged others to replicate the behavior.
