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Social media’s latest viral trend made its way to Vancouver on Saturday afternoon, when police say hundreds of people — mostly youths — tried to force their way into the city’s Church of Scientology building.
The Vancouver Police Department said that at about 3 p.m. local time, officers received reports that between 250 and 300 people were congregating and attempting to “gain entry” into Scientology’s premises along West Hastings Street at the corner of Homer Street.
Police say a group tried to kick in the back gate and allege others were throwing things at officers. No injuries to officers or the public were reported.
While the crowd was dispersed, police say it returned at about 5 p.m., where one 16-year-old boy was temporarily arrested before being released to his parents. No criminal charges are being recommended, police say.
“It may seem fun for young people to get swept up in these viral trends, but this is a criminal matter,” Sgt. Adam Donaldson said Sunday.
“[It’s a] very serious situation because trying to enter a building is breaking and entering, trying to damage property is mischief, pushing a police officer is assaulting a police officer. All of these young people were very lucky that they didn’t catch any criminal charges today, and those criminal charges could have followed them for the rest of their life.”
The viral trend, dubbed “Scientology speedrunning,” took off in early April, with users on social media posting videos of themselves, sometimes in costume, entering — or in Saturday’s case trying to enter — properties owned or inhabited in some way by the Church of Scientology.
Participants film themselves “speedrunning” through the building, or aiming to complete a task as fast as possible per the common video game slang. The task is to map out Scientology’s buildings and get as much information as they can about the inner workings of the organization.
The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed to The Associated Press that it responded to multiple incidents last month, which forced Scientology to remove all external door handles on its Hollywood Boulevard properties this week.
Church of Scientology spokesperson David Bloomberg told CBC News on Sunday that the Vancouver event was “not a peaceful visit or a lawful protest.”
“It was a co-ordinated act involving attempts to breach a religious facility and disrupt its operations,” he said.
“Church facilities are peaceful spaces designed to welcome parishioners, visitors and members of the public. Turning them into targets for viral stunts is not journalism, protest or civic activity. It is trespass, harassment and disruption of religious spaces.”
Bloomberg added that Scientology welcomes “lawful visitors,” but not those “attempting to force entry, damage property or target religious institutions for online attention.”
Vancouver-based criminal lawyer Kyla Lee said speedrunning, or acts like it, can have unintended legal implications for those involved.
“Not only could they face civil consequences, in terms of being issued a trespass notice under B.C.’s Trespass Act and being sued under B.C.’s Trespass Act, but they could also face criminal charges for engaging in behaviour that interferes with the lawful use and enjoyment of property used for religious purposes,” she said.
Lee said those who participate in speedrunning events might think of their actions as innocuous, but “legally, it’s not as simple as just running into the building and running out the other side.”
“That building is a place that is recognized as a place of religious worship for the Scientology community. And even if you don’t agree with Scientology practices, they still must be respected in their right to practise their religion, just like anybody else,” she explained.
Lee cautions those who are thinking of participating in any kind of social media trends or viral videos.
“Would you want someone doing this trend to you? And if the answer is no, you don’t want someone running through your house or you don’t want somebody you know dunking you with a bucket of ice water without warning or anything like that, you probably shouldn’t be doing it,” she said.
