Turning Scientology properties into targets for viral stunts is not journalism, protest or civic activity.
In Hollywood, a generation raised on video games and social media has turned the facades of Scientology buildings into levels to be conquered, rushing through doors and posting the footage for millions to watch. What began as an internet trend borrowing the language of gaming has drawn Major Crimes detectives and raised questions about where protest ends and harassment begins. The incident sits at a familiar crossroads in modern life — where the hunger for attention, the grievance against institutions, and the blurring of digital and physical reality converge into something the law must now name.
- Dozens of masked participants, one costumed as Jesus Christ, forced open Scientology doors on Hollywood Boulevard and raced through the building while cameras rolled — turning a religious facility into content.
- Church staff were knocked down during the Saturday disturbance, property was damaged, and five separate trespassing incidents have now been logged by the LAPD across Scientology's Hollywood locations.
- Major Crimes detectives have been assigned to determine whether the coordinated intrusions constitute hate crimes, though no arrests have been made and the trend continues to attract participants and views.
- Former Scientology critics are divided — some see the chaos as useful pressure on a controversial institution, while Leah Remini warns that confrontational tactics may harden members rather than free them.
On a Saturday afternoon in Hollywood, dozens of masked and costumed individuals forced open the doors of a Church of Scientology building and rushed inside, laughing and filming as they ran through hallways and confronted security. The footage was posted to TikTok, where it drew millions of views and announced the arrival of a new and legally fraught trend.
The concept borrows from gaming culture, where "speed running" means completing a game as fast as possible by exploiting shortcuts. Participants have applied this logic to Scientology properties, treating the buildings like levels to unlock and race through for social media attention. The LAPD has now received five trespassing reports tied to Hollywood Scientology locations, with two matching the speed-running pattern.
Church spokesman David Bloomberg pushed back firmly against any framing of the incidents as pranks or protest, describing staff members knocked to the ground, property damaged, and religious services disrupted. The church has characterized the events as organized harassment, not activism or free speech.
The trend has opened a rift among Scientology's critics. Some see it as a form of awareness-raising that puts the organization on the defensive. Others, including actress and former member Leah Remini, have urged caution — arguing that forced entry and confrontation are more likely to push members deeper into the organization than to liberate them.
The LAPD's assignment of Major Crimes detectives signals that authorities are treating the matter seriously, though no arrests have been made and the legal path forward remains uncertain. The incidents leave an unresolved question hanging over Hollywood's sidewalks: whether viral culture and lawful protest can share the same doorway.
On a Saturday afternoon in Hollywood, dozens of people in masks and costumes—one dressed as Jesus Christ—forced open the doors of a Church of Scientology building on Hollywood Boulevard and rushed inside, laughing and running upstairs while confronting security personnel. The scene was filmed and posted to TikTok, where it generated millions of views. It was one incident in a growing trend that has drawn the attention of the Los Angeles Police Department, which has now assigned Major Crimes detectives to investigate whether the activity constitutes a hate crime.
The trend borrows its name from video gaming culture, where "speed running" refers to completing a game as quickly as possible by skipping obstacles and exploiting shortcuts. Participants have adapted this concept to real buildings, treating Scientology properties like levels to unlock, racing through hallways and posting the footage online for social media attention. Over recent weeks, the Los Angeles Police Department has received five trespassing reports tied to Scientology's Hollywood locations, with two of those incidents matching the pattern of what participants call "speed running."
Church officials have rejected the characterization of these events as pranks or activism. David Bloomberg, a spokesman for the Church of Scientology, told the Los Angeles Times that the incidents represent something far more serious: organized trespassing into religious facilities for the purpose of generating online content. He described staff members being knocked down during the Saturday disturbance, property damage, and a pattern of forced entry that has disrupted both religious services and public information facilities. The church has framed the issue not as a matter of free speech or protest, but as unlawful disruption and harassment.
The movement has exposed a fracture among prominent critics of Scientology. Some former members and observers view the trend as a form of activism that raises awareness and makes the organization uncomfortable. One anonymous participant told the Times that the activity blended activism with entertainment, saying it was about "raising awareness, getting people to ask questions, and of course, love of the game." But actress Leah Remini, who left Scientology decades ago and has become one of its most vocal critics, issued a warning. She wrote on X that while she wants people discussing the dangers of Scientology, confrontational tactics like forced entry and harassment could have the opposite effect—pushing members deeper into the organization rather than encouraging them to leave.
The police investigation remains ongoing, with no arrests made so far and no injuries officially reported to law enforcement, despite the church's claims of staff injuries. The LAPD's decision to involve Major Crimes detectives signals that authorities are treating the incidents with seriousness, though the legal and investigative path forward remains unclear. The trend continues to generate views and participation, raising questions about what happens when online culture collides with real-world trespassing, and whether viral activism can coexist with legal boundaries.
Citas Notables
These incidents are not 'speed running.' They are organized trespasses into religious and public information facilities for social media attention.— David Bloomberg, Church of Scientology spokesman
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.— Leah Remini, actress and former Scientology member
La Conversación del Hearth Otra perspectiva de la historia
Why did the police decide this was a hate crime investigation rather than just trespassing?
The sheer scale and coordination of it, combined with the targeting of a specific religious institution. When dozens of people are repeatedly forcing their way into the same buildings, it starts to look less like random pranks and more like organized harassment of a particular group.
But the participants say they're raising awareness about Scientology's practices. Isn't that a legitimate form of activism?
That's the tension at the heart of this. There's a real difference between speaking out about an organization and physically invading its spaces. You can criticize Scientology without trespassing. The church's argument is that the moment you force your way in, you've crossed from speech into disruption.
Why would Leah Remini, who's spent years criticizing Scientology, warn against this trend?
Because she understands the psychology from the inside. When you're part of a group and you feel attacked or harassed, you tend to circle the wagons. The people running through those buildings might think they're exposing the church, but to someone on the fence about leaving, it might just look like persecution—which is exactly what Scientology teaches its members to expect.
Is there any chance this trend actually does damage the church's reputation?
Possibly. Millions of people are seeing these videos. But there's a cost to that visibility—staff are getting hurt, property is being damaged, and the conversation shifts from "what does Scientology do?" to "why are people breaking into buildings?" The method might be undermining the message.
What happens next legally?
That depends on what the Major Crimes investigation finds. If they determine it's a coordinated hate crime, the charges could be much more serious than simple trespassing. But proving that requires showing intent to target the group because of their religion, which is a higher bar than just showing people broke in.