Three ruffians were busted on hate crime charges Monday for allegedly ransacking Midtown’s Church of Scientology earlier this month – after the NYPD released crazy footage of the photo-obsessed mob.
Jaelen Dinkens, 19, and Mohammed Amolegbe, 21, were charged with burglary, criminal mischief and assault – all as hate crimes – more than three weeks after the unruly crew of 31 people barreled through a locked side door of the West 46th Street premises while worshipers and visitors were attending a May 2 seminar, according to law enforcement sources.
Tashaun Simms, 28, was charged with obstructing governmental administration and tampering with physical evidence, the sources said.
The NYPD released footage of the backpack-wearing, hoodie-donning suspects on Sunday. It showed some of them appearing to smirk as they barged into the facility, knocking over a storage container and nearly trampling over each other as one appeared to take photos and another sprayed silly string at a security camera.
The hooligans – who the church said appeared to have been inspired by a social media “speed running” trend – inflicted $10,000 worth of damages and kicked a 30-year-old male employee in leg, police said.
He sustained minor injuries and was not hospitalized, authorities said.
While police did not address a motive for the attack, The Church of Scientology International, based in Los Angeles, said that they believe it is part of the recent viral trend
“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 church said.
“A group of individuals forced their way into the Church of Scientology New York, broke a locked door to gain entry, and rushed into the building,” the church added.
“The disruption endangered staff, parishioners and visitors, including individuals attending a seminar at the time. This was not a peaceful visit or lawful protested. It was a coordinated act involving forced entry, property damage, and physical aggression inside a house of worship.”
The Midtown incident mirrors the bizarre new TikTok trend dubbed “Scientology speed running” — which uses a video game term to describe groups of thrill-seeking influencers and troublemakers filming themselves charging into properties owned or tied to the Church of Scientology since early April.
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