Scientology ‘speedrun’ TikTok trend has teenagers mapping Hollywood buildings

The Hollywood Walk of Fame is known for its colorful cast. But even by those standards, the scenes of Jesus Christ and Sonic the Hedgehog running over bodyguards employed by the Church of Scientology in recent days were strange.

On Saturday afternoon, someone dressed as a Christian messiah was among a crowd of people in robes and masks seen on video opening the door to a Scientology building on Hollywood Boulevard after a scuffle with security guards. The video posted on TikTok and Instagram shows the group running up the stairs and bumping into black-shirted security guards, giggling and gasping for breath as church members yelled at them to leave.

When they get out – as guards approach armed with fire extinguishers – one of the athletes stops and dances to celebrate their successful escape, a move reminiscent of the taunts of the video game Fortnite.

For weeks, groups of people have been breaking into two Hollywood churches, running through the hallways and scuffling with security guards, trying to see how far they can go before being forced to leave by church staff. They call it “speed racing,” slang for trying to beat a video game as fast as possible, dodging hazards and taking shortcuts to skip levels.

Those who post and comment on the content on the Internet treat events like real life games, imagine facing Scientology’s famous figures in a “boss battle” and refer to each new location of Scientology that is seen during the run as a step to unlock parts of the map level.

Church officials say the incidents are no joke and accuse the speeders of “hate crimes.”

After Saturday’s mob stormed the Ivar Avenue building with an exhibit dedicated to the church’s founder, science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard, the exterior door handles were removed from all three Scientology buildings on Hollywood Boulevard Sunday morning. Security guards were seen closing the door to one building on Monday afternoon.

“These incidents are ‘not speeding.’ They are systematic violations of religious and public information institutions for social media attention,” Scientology spokesman David Bloomberg said in a statement. “In recent weeks, people have repeatedly entered the premises of the Church on Hollywood Boulevard, disturbed the religious and public areas, destroyed the property of the Church, put the workers, believers and visitors at risk of extinction.”

Bloomberg said many workers were “knocked out by the chaos” on Saturday. He declined to provide specific details about updates to the church’s security measures.

An LAPD spokesperson said police have received five reports of break-ins at Scientology properties in Hollywood this year. It all happened at Hubbard’s show or the church’s information center at Hollywood Boulevard and McCadden Place, police said. Only two of those incidents involved “attempted speeding,” according to an LAPD spokesman.

No one has been arrested and no injuries have been reported. After Saturday’s major incident, the LAPD’s Major Crimes Division was tasked with investigating the incident as a “suspected crime.” Detectives have “not yet identified any connection” between last weekend’s incident and the robberies, according to a spokesman.

“The LAPD remains committed to ensuring the safety of all houses of worship in Los Angeles,” the department said in a statement.

A person involved in the recent “speed chase,” who spoke to The Times on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation from the Church and the LAPD, said the events were “a mixture of exposure, pranks and activism.”

“For me personally, it’s about raising awareness, getting people to ask questions, and of course, the love of the game lol,” the person said in the message. “I enjoy questioning authority and shining a light on things that people tend to overlook.”

The Church of Scientology of Los Angeles at 6331 Hollywood Blvd. on Feb. 7, 2024.

(Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times)

These incidents have divided anti-Scientology activists. Some former members believe running is an effective way to protest against an organization accused of sexual abuse, violating child labor laws and forcing members to have abortions. The church has denied wrongdoing in all cases. In 2018, a woman who accused the Church of Scientology of forcing her to have an abortion settled the case; The organization denied these allegations.

Prominent scientist Danny Masterson was convicted in 2023 of sexually abusing two church members in Los Angeles, during a trial where it was alleged that church policies prevented his victims from reporting them to the police decades earlier. Church officials were also accused of trying to “derail” the case against Masterson by harassing one of the prosecutors assigned to the case.

The church has previously denied having any policy preventing members from reporting crimes and called the allegations against the prosecutor in Masterson’s case “absolutely false.”

“What everyday citizens are doing to control Scientology and get dangerous ideas on TikTok … the only thing they’re doing is making Scientology uncomfortable and making it a joke so that young people don’t fall for it,” said former Scientologist Jenna Miscavage, niece of the church’s leader, David Miscavage. “I thank you very much.”

A “speed runner” who spoke to the Times said that allegations against the church and its reputation for secrecy had, in part, motivated the attention-grabbing “attack” on church buildings.

“That’s what it’s all about for me and others – applying pressure, seeking transparency and seeking answers,” the person said.

A spokesman for the church said that turning Scientology buildings into “purposes to harass the masses is not journalism, protests or social activities.”

Actress Leah Remini, a former church member who became an outspoken activist and has clashed with the organization, said last week in an article on X that she fears the practice of “running” will backfire.

“I want as many people as possible to talk about the dangers and crimes of Scientology,” he wrote. “But I’ve spent decades on the other side of this, and if I had faced people running around Scientology buildings and harassing me or employees, it would have pushed me further into Scientology.”

Brian Levin, a professor recently graduated from Cal State San Bernardino and founder of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism, wondered if people would react differently if such acts were carried out in a traditional house of worship – a Christian church, a Jewish temple or a Muslim mosque.

Levin said it is “very troubling” to see people “attacking” religious institutions with the intention of creating a dangerous time.

“A person does not have the right to speak in a violent manner, which invades the peaceful area of ​​another,” he said. “I didn’t care what the faith was.”

There are 16 reported incidents of hate crimes against Scientologists in 2024, according to a report produced by the LA County Commission on Human Relations. That made them the third most religiously targeted group in the region, behind only Muslims and Jews, the report said.

Some recent videos show runners bumping into security guards, pushing past church workers, and exiting after being cornered and told to leave.

Levin, who is also a police officer, said it is possible that those who clash with the security guard could be charged with battery.

“Anyone who does this is not only doing something bad, they are putting themselves in an awkward position [legal] in danger,” he said.

Increased security at Scientology buildings seemed to discourage three young people who went to the building when a Times reporter checked out the Hollywood area on Sunday afternoon. The three rode their bikes, drove until they reached the entrance of the Information Center and started shouting and taking pictures, pausing to vape while peering through the closed doors. They walked down the tunnel when the guards came.

William Gude, a resident of Hollywood and a strong critic of Scientology who runs the “Film The Police LA” account on social media, said that although he does not encourage violations of the law, it is clear that disruption affects the operation of the church.

“It’s complicated and not something I would recommend … but the more attention Scientology gets, the worse it is for Scientology,” he said. “They work in secret.”

Times staff writer Ruben Vives contributed to this report.