Church of Scientology officials have condemned a viral “speed running” trend on social media in which participants enter the church’s Hollywood locations and race through hallways while attempting to evade security guards and see how far they can get before being escorted out.
Scientology, an organization founded in 1954 by L. Ron Hubbard, is known for being a private religious group that includes celebrity A-listers like Tom Cruise and John Travolta.
Church officials have now accused the speed runners of “hate crimes” in a statement to the Los Angeles Times.
“These incidents are not ‘speed running.’ They are organized trespasses into religious and public information facilities for social media attention,” Scientology spokesman David Bloomberg told the outlet in a statement.
“Over recent weeks, individuals have repeatedly forced their way into Church properties on Hollywood Boulevard, disrupted religious and public facilities, damaged Church property, and endangered staff, parishioners and visitors.”
Bloomberg said that several staff members were “knocked down in the chaos” on Saturday after dozens of people entered the Ivar Avenue building and rushed into the L. Ron Hubbard Life Exhibition.
A Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) spokesperson told the outlet that police have received five reports of trespassing incidents at Scientology’s Hollywood properties this year. Only two of those incidents were in relation to a “so-called speed running attempt,” according to the LAPD spokesperson.
The LAPD’s Major Crimes Division said it was tasked with investigating Saturday’s incident as “an alleged hate crime.”
Global News has reached out to the Church of Scientology in Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Police Department for comment, but has not received a response.
By Sunday, the Church of Scientology reportedly removed door handles from three of the church’s Hollywood Boulevard properties and security guards were spotted blocking entrances on Monday after multiple videos were filmed inside by “speed runners” who forced their way past security, CBS News reports.
Here’s what we know about the “speed running” trend and how it involves the Church of Scientology.
What is 'speed running?'
Groups of people have filmed themselves opening the doors to the Church of Scientology’s Hollywood locations and running around the building before they are caught by security and told to leave the property.
Get daily National news
The term ‘speed running’ is part of video game culture and refers to playing through a game as quickly as possible during a “speedrun” often to avoid glitches and to minimize completion time.
Videos of an incident that took place on Saturday were posted online and show a large group of people pulling open the doors at the L. Ron Hubbard Life Exhibition as a security guard tries to keep the doors shut.
The video shows at least a dozen people, many wearing ski masks and one wearing what appeared to be a Jesus costume, storm into the building before being caught and escorted out by staff.
Police officials told NBC News that at least two suspects in the group are wanted on suspicion of crimes, including suspicion of burglary and suspicion of felony vandalism.
What people are saying about 'speed running'
An 18-year-old content creator, who is reported to have started the trend, told The Hollywood Reporter that he wants those copying his “one-off video” to stop.
“I do not condone what I did, even though I didn’t break any laws,” the creator, who goes by Swhileyy, reportedly told the outlet. “All I did was explore the building. I was never asked not to come back to the premises.”
“I never once in any video or any comment section or anywhere promoted the idea of running through there or beating my record,” Swhileyy said.
Actor Leah Remini, a former member of the Church of Scientology and vocal critic of the organization, took to social media to “weigh in on this recent trend of people running into Scientology buildings, causing chaos, and posting the videos on social media.”
Remini, who joined the Church of Scientology as a child in 1979 but left more than three decades later in 2013, said that what people are doing “is unhelpful, and by engaging in these actions, they are unwittingly helping Scientology.”
“I want as many people as possible talking about the dangers and criminality of Scientology,” Remini wrote. “But I spent decades on the other side of this, and if I had been confronted by people running through Scientology buildings and harassing me or staff, it would have pushed me further into Scientology.”
She said the reason for this is that “Scientologists are deeply indoctrinated and radicalized and believe they are helping people.”
“They have been brainwashed over many years into believing the outside world is filled with chaos and criminality, and that their mission, one they believe they are on through countless lifetimes, is to help eradicate this chaos,” Remini claimed.
“If someone is brainwashed for years into believing the outside world is filled with dangerous lunatics who wish to impede Scientology, a group of people running through a Scientology building is only going to confirm that belief and lead them to dedicate themselves even more to the cause they believe in,” the King of Queens actor added.
She also noted that Scientology buildings that are easily accessible from the street are not the kind of facilities where someone like David Miscavige, the second leader of the Church of Scientology, or other senior Scientology executives would be present.
“People at that level of Scientology’s criminal leadership will be behind gates and many layers of security,” she wrote, adding, “Please focus on exposing the dangers of Scientology, not making a spectacle out of it.”
The cult of Scientology. Exactly what the hollyweirdos deserve.
Good. Scientology is a cult with a history of harassing former members and opponents. They deserve far far worse than a bunch of kids running around their hallways