‘Scientology speedrun’ TikTok trend lands Sydney and Brisbane teens in hot water with police
A pair of teenagers got themselves into hot water while participating in the viral TikTok trend that involves deliberately trespassing on Church of Scientology premises.
The “Scientology Speedrun” trend began in the US late last month with a series of videos showing groups of young men deliberately running for safety at Scientology churches.
On Saturday, both Sydney and Brisbane Scientology buildings were besieged by youths, mostly teenagers, demanding access to the building.
According to NSW police, officers responded to a large gathering of “approximately 100 young people” outside the Sydney Church of Scientology on Castlereagh Street at around 1.30pm.
“Officers from Sydney City Police Area Command attended along with the public order riot team and helped disperse the group,” a police spokesman said.
Wild footage of dozens of teenagers trying to attack Brisbane Church of Scientology has emerged online
“A 19-year-old woman and a 17-year-old girl were arrested for disobeying police instructions. The 19-year-old woman was issued a criminal trespass notice for disobeying police instructions,” he said.
No criminal charges were filed against the 17-year-old boy.
Similar antics were playing out in Brisbane’s George St in the CBD, where a 15-year-old boy from Varsity Lakes and an 18-year-old man from Deception Bay were slapped with charges.
The 15-year-old was charged with unlawful entry into a vehicle, while the 18-year-old was charged with public nuisance, reckless driving and not wearing a helmet.
Footage of the incident shows the youths jumping into the open driver’s side door of a Queensland Police Service sedan, grabbing the steering wheel and then quickly jumping out.
Other images taken at the scene show a person riding a BMX bike passing over the same vehicle.
No one could enter the Scientology building.
The trend began when a small group of teenagers began filming themselves breaking into the Hollywood Scientology Information Center in Los Angeles in late March.
The two teenagers, who each filmed themselves breaking into the building at different times and causing general damage, chose to collaborate on a joint video and delve as deeply into the building as possible.
The video, which was viewed more than 90 million times before it was removed, sparked imitation efforts at Scientology buildings across the United States.
TikTok users have come to view “sprints” as a gradual effort to physically draw a map of the interior of the L.A. Scientology Information Center; this map will be updated each time a group of trespassers enters the building further than the last group.
The Church of Scientology is a highly secretive religious group that has been described as “cult-like” by investigative reporters and former members.
The church has been contacted for comment.
