The NFL logo is displayed on the Sphere arena ahead of Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas, Nevada on February 7, 2024. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP) (Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)
OAN’s Abril Elfi
6:08 PM – Wednesday, February 7, 2024
A man has been arrested and charged in Las Vegas, Nevada, after climbing the famous Sphere.
On Wednesday morning, Maison Des Champs, who goes by the moniker “Pro-Life Spiderman,” was arrested after he climbed the Vegas sphere.
According to reports, it appears from pictures on Des Champ’s Instagram story that he organized the climb to promote Let Them Live, a non-profit pro-life organization.
A press release from the non-profit reads, “While half a million football fans arrive in Las Vegas for Super Bowl LVIII, DesChamps wants to shake the public into caring about the fate of unborn children in our country.”
On Wednesday morning, Des Champs shared a picture of a banner with the caption “abortion is murder” on his Instagram story, tagging the official account of the NFL.
Police stated that he is now facing charges of destruction of property and conspiracy to destroy private property.
“We got here about 10:00 a.m.,” said Tim Clement, a friend of Des Champs. “It was really quick, probably the quickest climb I’ve seen him do. He usually takes about an hour. This one, he ascended in about 15, 20 min, really quick.”
Clement added a warning for anyone considering a climb, stating that Des Champs is a “professional.”
“He’s a professional. He knows what he’s doing. He doesn’t use any ropes, doesn’t use any equipment, it’s just free solo, and he puts himself at risk, so you don’t want to put yourself at risk for no reason at all,” he said.
LVMPD Sheriff Kevin McMahill addressed the incident during a press conference on Super Bowl safety, saying, “We know that people are going to test us. We know people are going to try things.”
“As we sit here today, there’s an individual – for a publicity stunt – climbing up to the top of the Sphere. Your first responders are all over there, taking care of it. We know these things are going to happen, and we’re going to deal with them as they come up and make sure we have the safest Super Bowl we’ve ever had.”
Des Champs had also been previously arrested for climbing the Aria Resort & Casino in August 2021.
The Sphere is the largest spherical structure in the entire world with a 580,000-square-foot exterior and is 366-feet tall and 516-feet wide.
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