Two Russian nationals have been taken into custody after climbing to the very top of New York's Empire State Building, unfurling a protest banner and getting engaged — a stunt that left tourists evacuated from the observation deck below.
Angela Nikolau, 33, and Ivan Beerkus, 32, scaled the lightning rod atop the 1,454 ft (443 m) skyscraper shortly before midday local time, witnesses said. The couple, both wearing masks, clung to the spire for at least ten minutes before displaying a large banner reading: "When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace."
“Russian couple Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus arrested after scaling Empire State Building, proposing with a protest banner.”
From the street, New Yorkers craned their necks to watch as the pair balanced on the narrow tip. Below them, tourists on the 86th-floor observation deck were hurriedly cleared from the area.
After descending to a lower level below the radio mast, Beerkus dropped to one knee. Removing her mask, Nikolau kissed him as he presented a ring. The proposal marked the climax of a stunt that authorities later said would result in multiple charges.
The couple were taken into police custody after climbing back down, according to ABC News. While their identities have not been officially confirmed, the stunt has been linked to Nikolau, a Russian rooftopper who regularly posts videos of herself scaling skyscrapers. An Instagram story on her account, posted by an assistant, read: "Currently at the Empire State Building, you can watch on the city webcam." One post tagged Ivan Beerkus, a Russian musician and her boyfriend.
Nikolau and Beerkus appeared in the 2024 Netflix documentary 'Skywalkers: A Love Story', which chronicles their high-altitude exploits.
The Empire State Building — erected in a record 13 months during the Great Depression and opened in 1931 as the world's tallest building, a title it held for 40 years — has long been a target for daredevils. But this time, the couple said they had a message: the banner, they hoped, would be seen for miles.
Authorities have not released the exact charges filed, but the couple faces a slew of legal consequences for trespassing and endangering public safety.