Couple Arrested After Scaling Empire State Building Antenna For Alleged Marriage Proposal Stunt

A Russian climber couple was arrested after scaling the antenna of the iconic Empire State Building in New York City in what appeared to be a dramatic marriage proposal. The pair, identified by police as Angelina Nikolau and Ivan Kuznetsov, climbed to the top of the skyscraper's antenna without safety tethers, unfurled a banner promoting peace and love, and later appeared to celebrate their engagement before being taken into custody by authorities.

The climbers, better known by their social media names Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus, gained international attention through the 2024 Netflix documentary Skywalkers: A Love Story, which chronicled their high-risk "rooftopping" adventures and growing romance. On Wednesday, the duo, dressed in black and wearing face masks, balanced on a narrow ledge near the top of the Empire State Building's antenna, approximately 1,454 feet (443 metres) above Midtown Manhattan. News helicopter footage showed the pair kissing while displaying a banner that read: "When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace."

After spending several minutes atop the structure, the couple removed the banner and began climbing down the antenna's metal framework. Video footage captured one of the climbers setting up photography equipment before getting down on one knee, apparently proposing marriage. The couple embraced and kissed again, while one of them was seen taking selfies with an outstretched left hand, seemingly showing off an engagement ring against the backdrop of the Manhattan skyline.

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The stunt prompted a response from the New York Police Department's Emergency Services Unit, whose officers climbed the antenna to intercept the pair. Body camera footage released by police showed officers calmly approaching the climbers as they descended. One officer greeted them before saying, "Well, you can't be up here," to which an off-camera voice appeared to reply, "We are engaged." The encounter concluded without incident as officers escorted the pair down from the structure.

Following the climb, Angela Nikolau shared images of the proposal on her social media accounts, including photographs featuring an engagement-style ring overlooking New York City. The posts quickly drew widespread attention online, adding to the couple's reputation for undertaking dangerous urban climbing stunts at some of the world's tallest landmarks.

Police later arrested the two climbers on multiple charges, including burglary, reckless endangerment and other related offences. Authorities identified them by their legal names, Angelina Nikolau and Ivan Kuznetsov. It was not immediately clear whether they had legal representation, and messages seeking comment from the couple had not received a response. The incident has once again sparked debate over the growing trend of extreme urban climbing for social media content, with officials warning that such stunts pose serious risks to both participants and emergency responders.

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