Viral Scientology speed run stunt spreads from Hollywood to New York

The New York episode followed weeks of “speed running” videos that had drawn millions of views on TikTok and Instagram. In those clips, masked or costumed participants sprinted through Scientology properties until security stopped them, chasing the kind of chaotic, highly shareable footage that can turn a few seconds of confrontation into online fame. The Church of Scientology said the behavior crossed a clear line, calling it “trespass, harassment and disruption of religious facilities.”

The stunt has already forced changes in Hollywood, where the trend began taking off in early April. Church buildings there removed external door handles, restricted public entry and increased security after repeated incursions. The Los Angeles Police Department has responded to multiple incidents, and some cases have been examined as possible hate crimes depending on what a suspect said or did during a run.

One recent Hollywood episode involved dozens of people rushing into the L. Ron Hubbard Life Exhibition and the church’s Public Information Center on Hollywood Boulevard, while a witness described a costumed group that included an alien, hot dogs and Jesus. That spectacle helped fuel the online spread, along with a post on X offering money for videos of “speed runs.”