# Scientology Run Speedrun Scientology Run Speedrun is a TikTok trend from spring 2026 where participants film themselves rushing into Church of Scientology buildings to see how far they can get before staff or security force them out. The challenge started in Los Angeles with TikToker @5.0arrodo and spread to the UK, Canada, and Australia within weeks. ## Overview Scientology Run Speedrun, also called Scientology Speedrun or Scientology Speed Running, is a TikTok challenge in which someone sprints into a Church of Scientology building and films the encounter until staff or security push them back out[1]. The bit is framed like a video game speedrun, with participants self-assigning 'levels' based on how far they push past the lobby into hallways, staircases, and lower floors[5]. Most clips follow a similar shape. A small group, usually young men in face coverings, cat masks, or full costumes, rushes the front entrance with a phone or a pair of Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses rolling[2]. Editors layer on zany music, slapstick sound effects, and HUD-style text that borrows from speedrunning livestream culture[1]. A running joke has speedrunners hollering for Tom Cruise or the Scientology deity Xenu as they go[3]. The Scientology Run Speedrun mixes long-running anti-Scientology sentiment with TikTok's appetite for high-engagement stunts[2]. By April 2026 the trend had pulled in tens of millions of views, news coverage from the Hollywood Reporter through the BBC's orbit, and police involvement in multiple cities[3]. ## How It Spread On April 1, 2026, @swhileyy posted his own run, reportedly filmed on Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses, and the video grew to about 90 million views before it was deleted[6]. Forbes flagged that clip as the moment the Scientology Run Speedrun broke containment, since copycat attempts started flooding TikTok and Instagram immediately after[1]. On April 4, @swhileyy posted a follow-up that drew over 3.3 million views in roughly a week[4]. X picked the trend up next. On April 6, user @maddysperl reposted one of @swhileyy's runs with the caption 'Obsessed with this trend of people seeing how far they run inside the LA Scientology HQ,' pulling over 176,000 likes in a week[4]. On April 12, X user @GothamChief joked, 'Imagine being the TikToker that makes it all the way into the Tom Cruise room,' which collected over 91,000 likes in a day[4]. A Reddit screenshot framing the trend as 'a roguelite with meta progression' hit 21,000 upvotes on r/shitposting the same day[4]. From there the Scientology Run Speedrun went global. UK locations saw hundreds of teenagers attempt rushes at Scientology buildings, and on May 9 the trend reached Sydney and Brisbane[2]. On May 10, around 300 young people gathered across the street from Vancouver's downtown Scientology center; some wore masks, held toy guns, and yelled about Tom Cruise and Xenu before police cleared the area and arrested a 16-year-old after a physical struggle[3]. On April 18, a group of teenagers also pushed through the main entrance of the Hollywood Boulevard information center at 6724 Hollywood Boulevard[6]. ## How to Use The Scientology Run Speedrun typically opens with a creator standing outside a known Church of Scientology building, often the Hollywood center, with the camera already rolling[1]. The common convention is to wear something that obscures the face, anything from a balaclava to a cat mask or a full dinosaur costume, then sprint inside and keep moving past anyone who tries to intercept[2]. Runs are often scored by 'depth,' with clips labeled around the 'deepest recorded' attempt or assigned fake video game levels in a nod to The Backrooms[1]. Editors usually trim out dead time, add slapstick sound design, and overlay text that frames the dash as a speedrun route. Solo runs are rarer but do happen, with TikToker @julia.hill1 pulling more than 7 million views on a lone attempt[1]. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is Scientology Run Speedrun? It is a TikTok trend in which people run into Church of Scientology buildings and film how far they can get before staff or security remove them[1]. ### Where did Scientology Run Speedrun come from? TikToker @5.0arrodo posted the first known run on March 30, 2026, filmed at the Hollywood Scientology center[4]. ### What does Scientology Run Speedrun mean? The name borrows from video game speedrunning, with participants treating the building like a level and trying to reach restricted hallways, staircases, or lower floors[6]. ### How do you use Scientology Run Speedrun? Creators typically film themselves dashing into a Scientology center in a mask or costume, edit in slapstick effects, and label the clip with a 'depth' score or fake video game level[1]. ### Is Scientology Run Speedrun still popular? As of mid-May 2026 the trend is still trending, with new runs filmed in Australia and Canada within the past week[2]. ### Who started the Scientology Run Speedrun trend? TikToker @5.0arrodo posted the earliest known clip on March 30, 2026, and TikToker @swhileyy popularized it further with a follow-up that hit about 90 million views[5]. ### How did the Scientology Run Speedrun go viral? A second @5.0arrodo clip pulled over 43 million views, then @swhileyy's run racked up roughly 90 million before deletion, with X reposts by accounts like @maddysperl pushing the trend off TikTok[6]. ### Has anyone been arrested doing a Scientology Run Speedrun? Yes. Vancouver police arrested a 16-year-old after a physical struggle when about 300 young people gathered at the downtown Scientology center[3]. ### What has the Church of Scientology said about the trend? Scientology spokesperson David Bloomberg told CBC News the Vancouver gathering was 'not a peaceful visit or lawful protest' but a coordinated attempt to breach a religious facility[3]. ### Why do speedrunners wear costumes? Face coverings, cat masks, and full dinosaur or Minions outfits help obscure identities, since the Church of Scientology is widely known for litigating against critics[2]. ### Has the Scientology Run Speedrun spread outside the US? Yes. Hundreds of UK teens attempted runs, and on May 9, 2026 the trend reached Sydney and Brisbane Scientology buildings[2]. ## References 1. [https://www.forbes.com/sites/danidiplacido/2026/04/29/what-is-scientology-speedrunning-tiktoks-bizarre-trend-explained/]() 2. [https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2026/may/11/scientology-speedrun-run-tiktok-trend-social-media-explained]() 3. [https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/scientology-speedrun-vancouver-la-trend-9.7187727]() 4. [https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/scientology-run-speedrun]() 5. [https://sg.news.yahoo.com/why-people-speedrunning-scientology-centers-152802975.html]() 6. [https://www.primetimer.com/features/what-does-scientology-speedrun-mean-church-critic-issues-warning-after-hundreds-raid-their-premises]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/scientology-run-speedrun Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library