Inside viral ‘Scientology speedrun’ trend prompting the church to bolster security
A viral TikTok trend known as 'Scientology speedrunning' has seen young people filming themselves entering Church of Scientology properties, particularly in Hollywood, to quickly explore and document the buildings. The trend has prompted the church to enhance security, including removing external door handles, and has led to multiple police responses, with one incident investigated as a potential hate crime. While some view the activity as harmless online fun, the church condemns it as trespassing and harassment of religious facilities.
- ▪The 'Scientology speedrunning' trend involves social media users, often in costumes, entering Church of Scientology buildings to film themselves moving through the spaces as quickly as possible.
- ▪The Church of Scientology has removed external door handles from its Hollywood Boulevard properties in response to the trend.
- ▪The Los Angeles Police Department has responded to multiple incidents related to the speedrunning events, including one investigated as a potential hate crime.
- ▪A church spokesperson stated that a staff member was injured during one of the incidents and required medical attention.
- ▪Participants are largely young individuals, with some observers describing the behavior as juvenile and part of broader Gen-Z and Gen Alpha internet culture.
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US News Inside viral ‘Scientology speedrun’ trend prompting the church to bolster security By Associated Press Published May 1, 2026, 7:56 a.m. ET Ericka Buensuceso was walking along Hollywood Boulevard on Saturday when she came across an alien, two hot dogs and Jesus. The motley costumed crew was banding together with several others, united by the common goal of breaking into the nearby Church of Scientology information center and running through as much of it as possible. Buensuceso was witnessing “Scientology speedrunning” in real time, a familiar social media trend that has been sweeping TikTok for about a month — and raising security concerns for the church.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at US News – Latest Breaking Headlines, Photos & Videos | New York Post.
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