“Speed running” trespasses at Scientology properties have gone viral on TikTok and Instagram, prompting police attention, security changes, and accusations of hate crimes.
Hollywood Boulevard has long been a stage for the strange and the showy.. But in recent days. social media users have turned the Church of Scientology’s local properties into something closer to an obstacle course—running. climbing. and clashing with security guards in videos posted online for millions to see.
The trend, dubbed “speed running,” borrows video-game slang for trying to beat a level as fast as possible.. In the latest episodes. people wearing costumes—at one point including a figure dressed as Jesus—moved through and around Scientology buildings. sometimes forcing entry. sometimes racing down stairs and into corridors. and then leaving after confrontation.. The videos are edited and captioned in a way that treats trespass as entertainment: guards become obstacles. hallways become “levels. ” and escapes become the “win” the audience is meant to cheer.
Beneath the meme language is a conflict that Los Angeles law enforcement is now taking seriously.. The Los Angeles Police Department says it has received multiple reports of trespassing incidents this year at Scientology locations tied to the Hubbard exhibit and the church’s information center.. Police also said only some incidents matched the “speed running” label.. No arrests were reported and no injuries have been described publicly. but the department’s Major Crimes Division was tasked with investigating a major incident from last weekend as an alleged hate crime.
Church officials argue the viral spectacle is not protest in any legitimate civic sense.. A Scientology spokesman said the actions are “organized trespasses” aimed at generating social media attention. and he accused participants of putting staff and visitors at risk.. He also said several staff members were knocked down during the chaos and declined to detail how security measures are being updated.
By Sunday morning, church officials said external door handles were removed from all three Hollywood-area properties.. On Monday. guards were seen blocking at least one doorway. reflecting a quick security response after a larger crowd surged into the Ivar Avenue building that houses an exhibit devoted to the church’s founder. science fiction writer L.. Ron Hubbard.
For readers who may only be encountering the trend through viral clips. the key issue is that “speed running” is not happening inside a game.. Participants are moving through real spaces where staff are trying to do real work—answer questions. manage exhibits. and keep visitors safe.. That clash between online performance and offline safety is where the story shifts from spectacle to public-policy problem.
The legal and social implications are also broader than one church.. The tactic of using religious or civic sites as set pieces for attention-grabbing content can raise the question of where free expression ends and harassment begins.. A professor who studies hate and extremism described the situation as “extraordinarily troubling. ” arguing that people do not have the right to invade places meant to be peaceful for others—no matter what beliefs they hold.
At the same time, the motivation among participants appears to vary.. One person involved—who said they feared retaliation and spoke under condition of anonymity—described the actions as a mix of exposure. prank. and activism.. The person said the goal was to get more people asking questions about Scientology and its reputation for secrecy. framing the viral runs as pressure for transparency rather than a mere stunt.
That tension has split the wider anti-Scientology community.. Some former members and prominent critics have argued that attention-driven disruptions can be an effective way to challenge an institution accused in lawsuits of serious misconduct. including allegations involving abuse and coercive practices.. Others worry that the tactic can backfire—pushing undecided or newly concerned audiences away, or hardening attitudes inside the church.
Even beyond Scientology. the trend fits into a larger pattern of “platform-first” activism: when clips travel fastest. the incentive shifts toward actions that create strong reaction on camera.. The problem is that the more the effort becomes about going viral. the more likely it is to collide with safety. property rights. and criminal law—especially when crowds run. shove. or block security.
Police and legal experts have suggested that if participants physically collide with security or cause harm. additional charges could become possible.. While there have been no publicly reported injuries tied to the incidents described in connection with the trend. law enforcement’s focus on potential hate-crime allegations underscores how serious the department views the conduct.
For Scientology’s part, officials say turning their properties into targets for viral stunts is not journalism or protest, but trespass and disruption of a religious facility. Their tightened access controls and visible security posture appear intended to reduce the chance of repeat entries.
Still. the videos keep spreading. and each clip adds another incentive for would-be imitators—whether they call themselves activists. pranksters. or game-like “speed runners.” In a country where social media can reward confrontation with instant reach. the next question for Los Angeles may be less about whether the trend is entertaining online. and more about how quickly it can be contained in the real world before it escalates into injuries. arrests. or broader public backlash.