A British asylum seeker being escorted into a downtown Los Angeles ICE detention center slipped from custody Tuesday with the apparent assistance of anti‑ICE protesters. Shackled and led by federal contractors toward the facility, he was reportedly helped by a masked activist and others, who then loaded him into a waiting van. Authorities believe the individual has a criminal record and have launched a citywide manhunt.
The escape unfolded near a detention center already at the heart of recent protests. The facility became a flashpoint in June when demonstrators clashed with federal agents and disrupted downtown streets during mass deportation operations. That unrest prompted the deployment of thousands of National Guard troops and Marines to Los Angeles, a move that sparked legal challenges from California leadership.