Maison Des Champs, anti-abortion protester, arrested after climbing Oklahoma City skyrise

Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY
·2 min read

An anti-abortion protester, who has scaled skyscrapers across the country to raise awareness for his cause, has been arrested after climbing another high rise – this time in downtown Oklahoma City.

The Oklahoma City Police Department identified the climber as Maison Des Champs of Las Vegas after people watched him climb to the top of the 50-story Devon Tower on Tuesday morning.

OKCPD Capt. Valerie Littlejohn told reporters that police received a call from the corporate tower about 8:40 a.m. for someone climbing the outside of it.

Arriving emergency responders blocked off the area near the tower, as a precaution after traffic became snarled as onlookers stopped to watch the 22-year-old man climb, Littlejohn said.

Police and firefighters went to the top of the building where, after Des Champs made it to the roof he was taken into custody, Littlejohn said.

He was transported to the Oklahoma County Detention Center and will be charged with trespassing and disorderly conduct, police reported.

Maison Des Champs, who has scaled skyscrapers across the country in an effort to end abortion, was arrested on June 14, 2022 after climbing the Devon Tower in downtown Oklahoma City.
Maison Des Champs, who has scaled skyscrapers across the country in an effort to end abortion, was arrested on June 14, 2022 after climbing the Devon Tower in downtown Oklahoma City.

Salesforce Tower climb: Anti-abortion 'Spiderman' arrested after climbing Salesforce Tower in San Francisco

Abortion laws by state: If Roe v. Wade is overturned, here's how abortion laws in each state will stand

Littlejohn said it was unclear what Des Champs' motive was for the climb, but Des Champs has previously described himself online as a "Pro-Life Spiderman."

Tied with Park Tower in Chicago, Devon Tower is the 71st tallest building in the United States.

Littlejohn said this isn't the first time someone has climbed the Oklahoma City tower. Several years ago, as the skyrise was being built, someone climbed the building and BASE jumped off of it, she said.

San Francisco Salesforce Tower climb

The climb comes on the heels of Des Champs climbing the 61-floor Salesforce Tower in San Francisco last month to raise awareness for his cause as an abortion rights opponent.

San Francisco Police Department officers arrested Des Champs on May 4 on charges of trespassing and resisting arrest after he climbed the side of the skyscraper.

He said he scoped out the 1,070-foot climb by examining the building from Google Maps.

Contributing: Scott Gleeson, USA TODAY. Natalie Neysa Alund covers trending news for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on Twitter @nataliealund.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Anti-abortion protester arrested after climbing Devon Tower