TikTok influencer trend is a sprint through LA Scientology HQ
A bizarre new trend on TikTok is sending thrill-seeking influencers running straight into Church of Scientology buildings across Los Angeles — racking up millions of views while blurring the line between prank and intrusion.
This viral craze, dubbed the “Scientology race,” challenges users to walk through property front doors and see how far they can go before being arrested and kicked out.
One of the most-viewed clips – posted by the TikTok account swileyy – has already been viewed more than 35 million times in just one week, showing the creator rushing into a Hollywood location before being intercepted.
Founded in the 1950s by science fiction author L. Ron Hubbard, this religion teaches that humans are immortal spiritual beings known as “thetans” with unlimited potential.
A key practice of the religion, “auditing,” uses a device called the “E-meter” to identify spiritual trauma, with followers seeking to achieve a state called “clear.”
The Church’s presence in Los Angeles runs deep.
Today, the organization maintains a significant footprint in the city, including a major headquarters on Sunset Boulevard that was expanded in 2010 to become an “ideal organization,” as well as its Celebrity Center for artists and public figures.
Hollywood has long amplified the Church’s visibility, largely through high-profile members such as actor Tom Cruise and John Travolta, both of whom have been its most recognizable public supporters.
Other well-known members of the church include actresses Elisabeth Moss, Catherine Bell, Jenna Elfman and Nancy Cartwright, best known as the voice of Bart Simpson on “The Simpsons.”
Estimates of the number of active Scientology members worldwide vary widely, with independent researchers and former staff placing the number between approximately 10,000 and 35,000.
Back on TikTok, however, the focus is less on doctrine and more on audacity.
Videos show participants sprinting through lobbies, running down hallways and even using skateboards to push themselves deeper into the premises, all trying to set what users call the “deepest recorded run.”
Most attempts end quickly, with intervening staff or security escorting participants, sometimes through side exits, before they can get far.
In one clip, a teenager skates toward an entrance only for the doors to close behind him mid-step.
Although online pranks targeting Scientology locations are nothing new, this fast-paced racing format has gained popularity in recent weeks.
So far, however, no one has managed to get very far inside Scientology HQs – but that hasn’t stopped others from trying to go further later.
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