A viral social media claim that Church of Scientology buildings in Hollywood are now locking doors from the inside to thwart teen speedruns has spread across social media platforms and deepened debate around the stunt.
In recent weeks, a series of videos circulating on social media has shown groups of teenagers sprinting into the Church of Scientology information centre on Hollywood Boulevard as part of an online challenge known as 'speedruns', prompting allegations that the church has responded by securing its doors from within to prevent further incursions. At the same time, law enforcement agencies in Los Angeles are probing the incidents as possible criminal and safety matters.
NEW: Hollywood Scientology buildings have reportedly chained doors shut from the inside to stop the viral teen speedruns.
The phenomenon began when a TikTok creator identified by the handle Swhileyy filmed himself running through the lobby of a Church of Scientology building in Hollywood, California, with the footage accumulating tens of millions of views before it was deleted. From that initial clip, the so-called'Scientology run' challengespread rapidly on social platforms, with participants racing into church premises to see how far they could penetrate before being confronted by staff or security.
A post shared by KTLA 5 News (@ktla5news)
In the videos, groups of teenagers are seen bursting through front doors, sprinting down hallways, sounding air horns and disrupting daily operations at the Scientology Information Center on Hollywood Boulevard, often laughing and recording the stunt for social media. Staffers are shown attempting to block their progress, with one male employee knocked to the ground during an incident that lasted mere moments before the teens fled through an emergency exit.
A post shared by Stephen Holthouser (@actingcasually)
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) hasconfirmedit is investigating at least one of these events as a potential hate crime and battery case because of the moment when a staff member was knocked down, though he did not appear seriously injured. Authorities also stress that the investigation is ongoing and highlight the complex blend of trespass, property disruption and the potential for injury embedded in these viral provocations.
Amid these videos, viral posts on platforms like X and Facebook claim that some Scientology locations have gone beyond routine security measures, allegedly chaining or locking internal doors from the inside to keep out would-be speedrunners. While these claims have spread widely, conclusive evidence from credible outlets confirming such specific security practices remains limited. Many reports focus instead on the incident footage itself and the broader trend of social media-driven trespasses.
Still, anecdotal reactions and comments from online users hint at a perception that the unusual magnitude of these breaches has forced management at certain locations to tighten internal access controls — a narrative reflected in some user-generated posts circulating across Instagram and X. What is clear is that the trend has strained the tolerance of both property owners and law enforcement.
Source: International Business Times UK
