Teens storm Scientology church in New York in latest ‘speed running’ incident | Scientology

In the latest in a string of nationwide “speed run” incidents that have gone viral on social media in recent weeks, a group of teenagers broke into a Scientology church in New York on Saturday.

The group broke down a locked door to enter the Church of Scientology on West 36th Street in Manhattan, throwing objects, damaging property and injuring a staff member while worshipers and visitors attended a seminar, the church said in a statement to the Guardian.

Church said the injured staff member required medical attention, while another was subjected to a racial slur.

The statement said, “This was not a peaceful visit or a legal protest. It was a coordinated action that included breaking into the place of worship, destruction of property and physical attack.”

In recent weeks, a crowd of mostly teenage boys and young men have descended on the Church of Scientology’s international headquarters on Hollywood Boulevard, while clips of so-called “speed runs” have garnered millions of views on TikTok.

“Some people online have referred to these incidents as ‘sprinting.’ In reality, they involve organized intrusions into religious and public information facilities to attract social media attention,” he said.

“Church facilities are peaceful spaces designed to welcome parishioners, visitors, and members of the public. Making them the target of viral demonstrations is not journalism, protest, or civic activity. It is trespassing, harassment, and disruption of religious sites.”

“The church welcomes lawful visitors. It does not welcome individuals who force entry, damage property, threaten or injure people, or target religious facilities for online attention,” he added.

No arrests have been made in connection with Saturday’s incident, and the church said it is cooperating with the New York Police Department as the investigation continues.

Following a similar “large-scale incident” in Los Angeles on April 25, when “dozens” forced their way into church facilities and knocked out staff, church officials said they were “reviewing all available remedies” and reporting to law enforcement.

The church said at least one staff member suffered injuries requiring medical attention in this incident.

Los Angeles police received five reports of trespassing; Two of them appeared to be linked to attempts at fast running, the Los Angeles Times reported in April.

The trend appears to have been started by an 18-year-old creator who goes by the pseudonym Swhileyy. In March, he posted a video on Instagram that appeared to show him violating property, which has since been removed. Swhileyy, whose identity has not been publicly disclosed, has since bucked the trend.

“Although I did not violate any laws, I do not approve of what I did.” said Hollywood Reporter last week. “I have never supported the idea of ​​passing there or breaking my record in any video, in any comments section or anywhere.”

Founded in the 1950s by science fiction author L Ron Hubbard, Scientology has long been the subject of fierce public scrutiny, debate, and speculation. Many celebrities, including Tom Cruise and John Travolta, are members of the church, which has a large presence in Los Angeles.

Asylum seekers, including actor Leah Remini, accused the church of encouraging a culture of abuse. In 2023, Remini sued the church and its leader, David Miscavige, for harassment, slander, surveillance, and other unlawful behavior that resulted in “psychological torture.”

She recently weighed in on the “speedrunning” trend, calling it “useless.”

He wrote of

“Please focus on exposing the dangers of Scientology, not making a spectacle of it.”