Arrests Made After Church of Scientology Incident

On Monday, three individuals were taken into custody on hate crime charges for allegedly vandalizing a Midtown Church of Scientology earlier this month. This occurred after the NYPD released urgent footage showing the chaotic scene involving people taking photos during the incident.

Law enforcement officials stated that Jalen Dinkens, 19, and Mohamed Amorebbe, 21, face charges related to theft, criminal mischief, and assault—all classified as hate crimes. This is happening over three weeks after a group of 31 unruly individuals broke through a locked side door at the facility, armed and disruptive, on May 2.

Tashawn Sims, 28, has been charged with both obstructing governmental administration and tampering with physical evidence, according to officials.

Footage released by the NYPD on Sunday showed a suspect in a hoodie, with a backpack, and several others entering the church, knocking over storage containers and laughing while taking pictures. At one point, one person made disruptive remarks in front of a security camera.

The church reported that the mischief, apparently fueled by the “speedrunning” trend on social media, resulted in approximately $10,000 in damages and involved kicking a 30-year-old male employee in the leg, as noted by police.

Fortunately, the employee only suffered minor injuries and did not require hospitalization.

While police haven’t disclosed a clear motive behind the attack, the Church of Scientology International, based in Los Angeles, suggested it may be linked to recent viral activities online.

The church commented, “Some online refer to these incidents as ‘speeding violations’; in reality, they involve coordinated intrusions into religious and public information facilities to attract social media attention.”

The chaotic event is being associated with a bizarre new TikTok trend called “Scientology Speed Running.” This trend—similar to a video game concept—has seen groups of adventure-seeking influencers and troublemakers infiltrate properties owned or linked to the Church of Scientology since early April.

The church remarked, “A group forced their way into the Church of Scientology in New York, broke down a locked door, gained access, and stormed into the building. This disruption put staff, parishioners, and visitors, including those attending the seminar at the time, at risk. It was neither a peaceful visit nor a lawful protest, but rather an organized act of forced entry, property damage, and physical assault within the chapel.”