On Wednesday, a daring couple climbed the Empire State Building’s antenna and displayed a banner emphasizing ‘the power of love and peace.’ This bold act was reportedly part of a high-altitude marriage proposal, which led to their arrest.
The climbers, identified as Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus, gained attention for their rooftop adventures and are featured in the 2024 Netflix documentary ‘Skywalkers: A Love Story.’
Video footage showed the masked duo on a narrow ledge of the skyscraper’s antenna, which rises 1,454 feet over Manhattan. They were dressed in black, and their banner read, ‘when the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace.’
After spending time atop the antenna, the couple descended, setting up photography equipment. One of them appeared to propose, and they took selfies, possibly to showcase an engagement ring.
Police officers, equipped with a body camera, climbed the structure to stop them. The video captured an officer greeting the couple, who responded with, ‘We are engaged.’
The couple, officially named Angelina Nikolau and Ivan Kuznetsov by police, faced charges of burglary and reckless endangerment. Nikolau later shared photos of their adventure on social media, including one displaying an engagement-style ring with Manhattan in the background.
Nikolau and Beerkus, featured in the documentary ‘Skywalkers: A Love Story,’ often ascend tall structures, sometimes without authorization, by pretending to be construction workers. It remains unknown how they accessed the antenna, which is off-limits to the public.
Building management confirmed that the act was unauthorized but stated it posed no threat to people inside the building. They did not provide further details on the couple’s access method or interactions with security staff.
Tourist Julie Morris witnessed the pair entering a restricted area without masks, assuming they were employees. The stunt attracted numerous onlookers around the iconic Art Deco building.
Jonathan Roman, a tourist from Glasgow, watched the event unfold. Though prevented from entering the observation platform, he found the spectacle more memorable than a return visit would have been.
While unauthorized climbs of the Empire State Building have occurred before, actor and musician Jared Leto was granted permission to climb to the base of the antenna in 2023 for a promotional event.
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