NEW YORK – Russian climbers Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus were arrested Wednesday after scaling the antenna of New York City’s Empire State Building, where they unfurled a banner promoting peace and appeared to become engaged before police escorted them down, The Associated Press reported.
The pair, featured in the 2024 Netflix documentary Skywalkers: A Love Story, climbed the iconic skyscraper’s antenna without visible safety equipment, balancing on narrow steel beams hundreds of feet above Manhattan. News helicopter footage showed the two embracing and kissing while displaying a banner reading, “When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace.”
High-Altitude Stunt Ends With Arrest
After displaying the banner, the climbers folded it away and descended to a wider section of the antenna. Video footage showed one of them appearing to kneel before the other, followed by another kiss and embrace. One climber was later seen taking selfies while extending a left hand that appeared to display an engagement ring.
Officers from the New York Police Department’s Emergency Services Unit climbed the antenna to intercept the pair.
Police body camera footage showed an officer greeting the climbers before informing them they were not permitted to be on the structure. An off-camera voice responded, “We are engaged,” before officers met the pair on a landing within the antenna and escorted them down without incident.
Charges Filed Against Climbers
Police identified the climbers by their legal names, Angelina Nikolau and Ivan Kuznetsov.
Authorities charged the pair with burglary, reckless endangerment, and additional offenses. It was not immediately known whether they had retained legal representation, and requests for comment sent to the couple had not been answered.
Nikolau later shared photographs of the climb on social media, including an image showing what appeared to be an engagement ring against the Manhattan skyline.
Known for Unauthorized Rooftop Climbs
The climbers gained international attention through the Netflix documentary Skywalkers: A Love Story, which chronicles their relationship and their unauthorized climbs of some of the world’s tallest buildings. The film documents how they have sometimes posed as construction workers to gain access to restricted structures.
Authorities have not explained how the pair accessed the Empire State Building’s antenna, which extends above the building’s public observation areas.
Building management described the climb as unauthorized and stated that the incident did not endanger visitors or occupants inside the skyscraper. Officials declined to provide additional details about how security was breached or any interactions between the climbers and building personnel.
Witnesses Describe Unfolding Spectacle
Tourist Julie Morris told local television stations she saw two people pass through mesh gates leading to a restricted area while visiting one of the building’s observation decks. She initially believed they were authorized workers because they were not wearing masks at that time.
The incident also drew crowds on nearby sidewalks as onlookers watched the dramatic climb.
Jonathan Roman, a tourist visiting from Glasgow, Scotland, said he and his teenage son arrived for a scheduled visit to the observation deck only to find access temporarily restricted because of the ongoing police response.
Despite the disruption, Roman said witnessing the unusual event was more memorable than another trip to the observation platform.
The Empire State Building has experienced several high-profile climbs over the years, most of them unauthorized. In 2023, however, actor and musician Jared Leto received permission to climb to the base of the antenna as part of a promotional event for a concert tour.
Tags: Empire State Building, New York City, Angela Nikolau, Ivan Beerkus, Angelina Nikolau, Ivan Kuznetsov, Skywalkers A Love Story, Netflix, NYPD, Rooftopping, Marriage Proposal, Arrest
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