Daredevils Climb Empire State Building Antenna with ‘Power of Love’ Banner

Two individuals reached the top of the Empire State Building’s antenna on Wednesday. They unfurled a banner promoting ‘the power of love,’ then began descending, embraced, and took selfies before being arrested.

Clad in black and wearing masks, the pair navigated a narrow ledge. They appeared to kiss atop the skyscraper’s antenna, standing 1,454 feet above midtown Manhattan, as shown in news helicopter footage. Their banner, stating, ‘when the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace,’ fluttered in the breeze.

At 12:30 p.m., they began their descent, carefully moving along the metal latticework to a broader ledge. There, one set up electronic equipment and appeared to propose by getting down on one knee. After sharing another kiss and hug, the other took selfies, inspecting a ring on an outstretched hand. People gawked from the streets near the Art Deco tower.

‘It’s crazy — it’s like being in the movies,’ remarked Jonathan Roman, a visitor from Glasgow. He and his 15-year-old son intended to visit one of the observation platforms but found access restricted due to the activity at the antenna. Roman deemed the spectacle ‘probably more exciting than going up to the viewing platform for the second time.’

Office workers questioned how the duo accessed the antenna of the high-profile building. Visitors undergo screening and face restrictions on items like large packages, sports gear, costumes, and masks. Jessica Kaplan, an employee in the building, expressed disbelief: ‘I just can’t believe they made it through security.’

Police arrested the two climbers around 1 p.m. Their names were not released, and no injuries were reported. The method by which the pair accessed the antenna, elevated far above the public sections of the 102-story building, remains unclear.

Building management did not immediately respond to inquiries. While daredevil climbs of the Empire State Building and its antenna have mostly been unauthorized, actor and musician Jared Leto climbed to the antenna base from the 86th floor in 2023 to promote a tour.