A bizarre viral trend has taken over TikTok, with teenagers attempting to “speedrun” their way through high-security Scientology buildings in LA, turning what began as a prank into a growing public concern.
What started with a single video, reportedly racking up tens of millions of views, has now spiraled into a widespread phenomenon with participants racing into the Church of Scientology facilities to see how far they can get before being stopped.
As the trend continues to gain traction on social media and TikTok, it has raised serious questions about trespassing, safety and the ethics of creating content. With more teen influencers showing up at 6331 Hollywood Blvd (which houses the corporate offices of the Church), the facility has reportedly been locked.
More on this in our story.
Scientology Speedruns: Exploring the origins of the viral TikTok trend
The Church of Scientology of Los Angeles, founded in 1954 by science fiction author L. Ron Hubbard, claims to offer a path to its adherents to total freedom and truth, maintaining that humans are immortal spiritual beings. While the sect has long attracted controversies and scrutiny for its pseudo-religious and secretive practices, it is garnering attention for Scientology Speedruns, the latest viral TikTok trend that has sent the Internet into a frenzy.
It all started when 18-year-old TikTok user Swhileyy ran through the lobby of the Church of Scientology Headquarters in Hollywood, Los Angeles, in March 2026, setting a record with roughly 90 million views. The video went viral, motivating other influencers to replicate the action in anticipation of validation and views, leading to the viral trend. Things quickly spiraled when the speed runs turned into a bizarre trend, with groups of young influencers entering buildings, raising serious concerns about trespassing.
The incident escalated when a group of more than 50 influencers showed up for the Scientology Speedrun trend, sending the security into a frenzy. As many continued to run at high speed on skateboards, one of them reportedly fired pellets at the building’s glass, forcing the members to involve the LAPD.
Exploring the aftermath of the bizarre trend
As teen influencers continue flocking to the building to join the viral trend, the centre has reportedly been locked. As the viral trend picks up momentum on TikTok and social media, more teen influencers are gearing up, with air horns and the intention to damage the Hollywood Scientology buildings. These chaotic videos, which have now been taken down from TikTok, have also drawn the media and police attention, with members even opting to chain the door handles from the inside to bar entry.
With the Speedruns trend going out of hand, American actress and a former member of the organization, Leah Remini, has urged people to put a stop to this frenzy (via News.com):
“Please stop. What I’m seeing now—running into Scientology buildings, harassing staff,provoking reactions for TikTok is not really exposure. It feels like it’s about clicks, and it’sturning something serious into content.”
The Emmy-winning actress continued:
“This trend creates chaos, it creates a spectacle and worst of all, it hands them exactly what they want. The ability to position themselves as the victim.”
As the line between entertainment and intrusion continues to blur, the trend underscores how quickly viral content can escalate into real-world disruption, forcing institutions, authorities and audiences alike to confront its consequences.
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Edited by Aashna