The Scientology “speed running” trend isn’t slowing down.
Since the first incident in Los Angeles in late March, large groups of people — some in costumes — have tried to run through church-related buildings in New York, San Diego, San Francisco and countries outside the U.S., even as Scientology lawyers, law enforcement agencies and social media platforms have sought to stop the viral movement.
According to a legal document reviewed by The Times and confirmed as authentic by a Scientology spokesperson, at least one person received legal threats from the church alleging that an online dare led to a chaotic incident in L.A.
Other online content creators on TikTok and Instagram say their accounts have been suspended or threatened with disciplinary action for posting videos about churches and speed runs.
The trend began with groups of teenagers recording themselves running through properties belonging to the Church of Scientology along the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In each video, runners run around church staff and up the stairs, seeing how far they can go before someone tells them to leave or threatens to call the police.
“Speed ​​running” is a video game term that refers to players who try to complete the game as quickly as possible, avoiding hazards and taking shortcuts to pass levels. One speed runner who spoke to the Times last month said the events are partly a prank, partly a protest against an organization that has been accused in lawsuits of sexual exploitation, violating child labor laws and forcing members to have abortions. The church has denied those allegations and denied any wrongdoing.
The Church of Scientology of Los Angeles building at 6331 Hollywood Blvd.
(Denia Maxwell/Los Angeles Times)
The largest “speed running” incident in Los Angeles occurred on April 25, when a mob led by a man dressed as Jesus opened the doors of the church’s Hollywood Guaranty Building and rushed inside. The building was built by the church’s founder, L. It is home to an exhibit about the life of Ron Hubbard, and is also the listed mailing address for Scientology’s public relations department.
The footage shows runners in masks and costumes running into the building, scuffling with black-shirted security guards and knocking down at least one person.
The church has labeled the incidents a “hate crime” and Scientology spokesman David Bloomberg said at least one member suffered injuries that required medical attention in Los Angeles on April 25. The Los Angeles Police Department’s Major Crimes Division, which investigates hate crimes and attacks on houses of worship, is reviewing the incident, according to a department spokesperson.
No arrests have been made, according to the spokesperson, who said five incidents of trespassing at Scientology properties in Hollywood have been reported this year. Only two appeared to be speeding, officials said.
While events in Los Angeles have slowed down – partly because the church has removed the exterior door handles of its three Hollywood properties – “speed runs” have begun to take place in other cities and counties.
Other incidents resulted in at least three arrests and two minor injuries to Scientology members, officials said.
San Francisco police said they responded to two separate attempts to break into or vandalize a Scientology property near the city’s Chinatown neighborhood in recent weeks. Two teenagers were arrested, although it was unclear whether charges were filed. San Diego police also documented an incident of “vandalism and trespassing” at the church’s downtown property on May 2.
On May 3, a crowd of about 300 people, described by police as “mostly youth”, attempted to enter a Church of Scientology building in downtown Vancouver. Local officials said some people tried to kick in the gate and throw objects at police, but no one was injured. A teenager was arrested.
A similar incident occurred in New York City on the same day. Police told NBC that on May 3, around 4 p.m., “a group of unknown individuals forced their way into” the church’s Midtown Manhattan building and damaged property. Police told the television station that one person suffered minor injuries. No arrests were made.
A video posted on TikTok L in Edinburgh, Scotland last weekend. Ron Hubbard is also accused of attempting to speed at the Academy of Personal Independence. Police there did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Scientology spokesman Bloomberg declined to comment on specific incidents outside Los Angeles.
The Church and some social media companies have attempted to prevent the spread of fast-moving content online.
On April 26, a lawyer representing the church sent a letter to the founder of the app Dare Market, accusing the company of “inciting” the Hollywood Speed ​​Run the day before. Dare Market founder Isla Rose-Perfito shared a copy of the letter Post on X this week.
Rose-Perfito said the Dare Market app allows people to challenge each other to complete a challenge for prizes or money, but discourages users from breaking any laws. On April 24 – the day before the big Hollywood “Speed ​​Run”, led by a man dressed as Jesus – the dare market posted a “Scientology Speed ​​Run” dare with a $1,000 prize.
“The person who runs inside the longest before being thrown out wins. As you run inside the center, you have to say over and over again, ‘Dare Market made me do this’,” the since-deleted post read.
According to video of the incident, someone can be heard saying this exact phrase shortly after the front door of the Scientology building in Hollywood was opened on April 25, when a man dressed as Jesus opened the door.
“Dare Markets could be held liable for serious injuries or death resulting from the ‘Scientology challenge’,” the letter from attorney Rebecca Nell Kaufman reads. Kaufman wrote that this dare incited “disgusting, offensive, and dangerous acts.”
Coffman also claimed that speed runners threw racial epithets, including the N-word, at a black security guard on April 25. An LAPD spokesperson would not confirm whether that allegation had been reported to police.
“Church employees have already been beaten and assaulted as a result of your business,” Kaufman wrote. “It’s only a matter of time before someone gets seriously injured or killed.”
Kaufman — who previously threatened The Times with litigation after a reporter sent questions to Scientology officials as part of a 2024 article — did not respond to a request for comment.
In an interview, Rose-Perfito, 29, argued that the trend of speedrunning predates Dare Post and dismissed Scientology’s legal threat.
“We’re not asking people to come in at all…they say on their website they welcome people with an open door,” he said.
Rose-Perfito alleged that Scientology officials repeatedly called her mother in the middle of the night after the April 25 speed run. In the video posted on X and TikTok, Rose-Perfito plays the voicemail of a woman identifying herself as Bari Berger. According to a church website, Berger is the former director of STAND, the anti-discrimination arm of Scientology. According to her LinkedIn profile, she now works in the church’s public affairs department.
Bloomberg said that immediately after the April 25 incident “calls were made to contact individuals associated with Dare Market and its CEO regarding matters arising directly from those incidents.”
Other content creators said their Scientology-related content has faced additional scrutiny as the trend of speedrunning has spread. Derek Miranda, the man behind the WhiteWallStuntz social media account who gained popularity last year by documenting the underbelly of Los Angeles, said his Instagram account was deactivated after posting a video of an April 25 speed run. A Meta spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.
Some TikTok users have also reported that their posts related to Scientology “speed running” or the church have been flagged or removed in recent weeks.
A spokesperson for TikTok said that the app’s “Community Guidelines clearly prohibit the promotion of violent or criminal behavior, and we are removing this content from our platform.”
Times staff writer Christopher Buchanan contributed to this report.
