A daredevil couple has been arrested after carrying out a breathtaking and highly dangerous climb to the top of New York City’s iconic Empire State Building, where they staged an apparent marriage proposal more than 1,400 feet above the ground.
The dramatic incident unfolded on Wednesday, July 1, when the pair scaled the building’s restricted antenna without any visible safety equipment.
After reaching the summit, they unfurled a banner carrying a message promoting peace and love before embracing and sharing a kiss high above the Manhattan skyline.
Shortly afterwards, the man appeared to get down on one knee and propose, with the woman later showing off what appeared to be an engagement ring.
Authorities from the New York City Police Department quickly responded after receiving reports of the unauthorized climb.
Emergency Service Unit officers made their way up the tower and intercepted the pair as they descended from the antenna.
Body-camera footage released by police reportedly showed an officer greeting the climbers before calmly informing them, “Well, you can’t be up here.”
One of the climbers responded, “We are engaged,” moments before both were taken into custody without resistance.
The climbers were identified as Russian social media personalities Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus, also identified in court documents as Angelina Nikolau and Ivan Kuznetsov.
The pair have gained international fame for illegally scaling some of the world’s tallest skyscrapers and structures to capture dramatic photographs and videos for social media.
Their adventurous relationship was previously featured in the 2024 Netflix documentary Skywalkers: A Love Story, which followed their dangerous “rooftopping” exploits and romance.
According to investigators, the couple also displayed a black banner bearing the words:
“When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace.”
They spent several minutes taking photographs and filming the stunt before descending to a lower platform where the proposal appeared to take place.
Police later charged the pair with multiple offences, including burglary, reckless endangerment, criminal trespass and other related charges.
Authorities are still investigating exactly how they managed to bypass security and gain access to the building’s antenna, which is normally off-limits to visitors.
Management of the Empire State Building condemned the unauthorized stunt, emphasizing that it posed unnecessary risks and reminding visitors that the landmark already offers official proposal packages at its observation decks for couples wishing to celebrate safely.
The management also stated that no members of the public inside the building were endangered during the incident.
The extraordinary spectacle attracted crowds on nearby streets, with tourists and New Yorkers stopping to watch as helicopters circled overhead and police temporarily restricted access around parts of the famous skyscraper.
Some visitors who had planned to tour the observation deck were turned away while emergency responders handled the situation.
While many social media users described the proposal as romantic and cinematic, others criticized the couple for risking their lives and potentially endangering emergency personnel who had to rescue and arrest them.
The incident has also reignited debate about security at one of the world’s most recognizable buildings and the growing trend of influencers performing increasingly dangerous stunts in pursuit of online fame.
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