Couple arrested after Empire State Building proposal stunt

Two daredevil climbers were arrested Wednesday after scaling the Empire State Building’s antenna, unfurling a banner and apparently getting engaged high above Manhattan, authorities and news reports said.

The pair were identified by CBS News as Ivan Kuznetsov, 32, and Angelina Nikolau, 33, who live in East Orange, New Jersey, and are originally from Russia. CBS reported that Kuznetsov’s social media page identifies him as Ivan Beerkus. Al Jazeera identified the couple as Russian nationals Vanya Beerkus and Angela Nikolau.

Video shot from a U.S. news helicopter showed two people dressed in black appearing to kiss on top of the skyscraper’s main antenna. Al Jazeera reported that they unfurled a banner reading, “When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace,” from a perch about 443 meters, or 1,454 feet, above the ground.

Images posted by Nikolau on social media during the climb appeared to show Kuznetsov on one knee proposing to her, and Nikolau holding up a ring while looking south across the New York City skyline, CBS reported.

The couple reached the top of the Empire State Building’s transmission tower, which provides radio and television signals to local stations. Climbing the powered antenna posed hazards, including possible exposure to radio waves, and the building shut down the antenna, a source familiar with the matter told CBS News New York.

It was not clear how the pair gained access to the antenna, which is well above the publicly accessible areas of the 102-story building.

Police body camera footage released later showed an officer climbing a ladder toward the pair. “How are you doing?” he asked, breathing heavily. Their reply could not be heard over the wind. The officer then said, “Well, you can’t be up here.”

CBS reported, citing sources, that each was charged with burglary, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, violation of local law, possession of burglar’s tools, criminal tampering, criminal trespass and disorderly conduct. Video released by the NYPD showed the couple did not resist arrest.

Hector Alvarez, who saw them being walked out of the skyscraper’s loading dock in handcuffs, told CBS: “Wearing all black, they came out. They didn’t say anything. They were not hurt.” He added, “I’m guessing they knew they were going to get caught.”

The Empire State Building said the incident had been resolved with help from police and that tenants, visitors and observation deck guests were not in danger.

“The unauthorized incident at the building has been resolved with the constructive and helpful coordination of the NYPD,” a spokesperson said in a statement reported by CBS. “There was at no time danger to tenants, visitors, and Empire State Building Observation Deck guests.” The spokesperson added that the observation deck “does offer a practical way for the most memorable marriage proposals.”

Al Jazeera reported that the building’s statement also suggested the couple could have purchased its $1,000 “Happily Ever Empire Proposal Package” to mark their engagement.

The couple have a history of similar high-rise stunts without ropes or other safety equipment. They were featured in the 2024 Netflix documentary “Skywalkers: A Love Story,” about their climb of Malaysia’s Merdeka 118 Tower, which CBS said is 2,227 feet tall. Al Jazeera described them as ambassadors for “rooftopping,” an unregulated climbing sport involving city buildings.

CBS reported that Nikolau posted a video from another Manhattan skyscraper two days before the Empire State Building climb, saying she was celebrating her birthday. Other posts described incidents in China, Miami and Malaysia, including one in which the pair said they waited more than 20 hours without a bathroom, food or water to pass security.

Angela Nikolau’s father, Dmitriy Nikolau, told Reuters he had known about the climb. “Why should I be worried? I climb up roofs myself,” he said. Reuters identified him as a Russian circus artist. He also told the outlet, “I think it is normal to climb up a roof in any country, including the United States, according to any constitution.”