Three men arrested for viral TikTok 'Scientology speedrun' challenge in New York

Most trends on social media revolve around harmless fun, yet one recent viral sensation has left three men in trouble with the law as they seemingly took the TikTok Scientology speedrun challenge too far.

Scientology remains one of the most mysterious modern religious organizations, as not only does its membership list include some of the world's most famous people, but it also keeps a lot of its operations behind closed doors.

Despite this secrecy the church has numerous incredibly recognizable buildings in some of the biggest cities across the United States, and that's prompted a recent trend on social media where people try to find out what's supposedly being hidden inside.

Shared primarily on TikTok, the trend – referred to as the 'Scientology speedrun' – sees often a group of individuals running through their nearest Scientology building while various members of staff try to stop them.

The aim is to get as far in as possible without being apprehended, and some have even used the viral videos shared online in an attempt to map the building's inside.

The Church of Scientology has noticeably increased its security measures since these videos started going viral, and have also enlisted the help of the police leading to three recent arrests.

As reported by the New York Post, three men have now been arrested in New York after a large group of people attempted to force their way into the city's Scientology building, with law enforcement indicating that 31 people in total managed to break through a locked exterior door.

Among the arrested trio, 19-year-old Jaelen Dinkens and 21-year-old Mohammed Amolegbe were charged with burglary, criminal mischief, and assault – all of which clarify as hate crimes due to the religious status of the church.

Additionally, 28-year-old Tashaun Simms was charged with obstructing governmental administration and tampering with physical evidence, with police estimating over $10,000 worth of damages on the property as a result of the viral stunt.

One male employee on the premises was also allegedly kicked in the leg which caused him to sustain minor injuries, although he did not need to go to hospital as a result.

Responding to the incident, the Church of Scientology has released an official statement condemning this particular stunt and others of a similar kind.

"Some online have referred to these incidents as ‘speed running.’ In reality, they involve organized trespasses into religious and public information facilities for social media attention," the organization outlined.

"The disruption endangered staff, parishioners and visitors, including individuals attending a seminar at the time. This was not a peaceful visit or lawful protest. It was a coordinated act involving forced entry, property damage, and physical aggression inside a house of worship.”