Couple Arrested After Scaling Empire State Building, Proposing at 1,400 Feet
Two Russian climbers scaled the spire of the Empire State Building on Wednesday afternoon, unfurling a pro-peace banner 1,454 feet above Midtown Manhattan before one of them dropped to one knee and proposed to the other. Both were taken into custody by the NYPD shortly after 1 p.m.
The climbers have been identified as Angela Nikolau, 33, and Ivan Beerkus, 32, a Russian couple known in extreme sports circles for scaling skyscrapers and other tall structures without safety equipment. The two are the subjects of the 2024 documentary Skywalkers: A Love Story, which follows their high-rise climbing exploits across Europe and Asia.
What Happened
Nikolau and Beerkus, both wearing masks and dressed in black, were spotted at the top of the building's transmission antenna around noon. The building's observation deck was cleared of visitors as police responded. NYPD helicopters circled the spire while officers climbed up to meet them.
The pair unfurled a large black banner with white lettering referencing a quote attributed to Jimi Hendrix: "When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace." Video circulating on social media showed the two spending time at the top of the antenna before beginning to descend to a lower platform on the spire.
It was during that descent that Beerkus appeared to get down on one knee and propose to Nikolau more than 1,400 feet above the streets of Manhattan. The two embraced, Nikolau removed her mask, and they kissed. Witnesses below and on social media watched as she slipped on what appeared to be an engagement ring while still perched on the tower.
They continued climbing down just before 1 p.m. and were taken into custody. No injuries were reported. Police said charges are pending and an investigation is underway into how the pair gained access to the restricted antenna structure, which rises well above the building's publicly accessible areas.
Who They Are
Nikolau and Beerkus are well-known in the so-called "rooftopping" community, a subculture of extreme climbers who document ascents of skyscrapers, cranes and other structures, typically without permits or safety equipment. The couple has completed similar climbs at buildings throughout Europe and Asia, often posting footage to social media.
Video posted to Nikolau's Instagram story appeared shortly before the two were spotted atop the building, and congratulatory comments began appearing on both of their accounts almost immediately. "Way to promote your movie," one commenter wrote, referencing Skywalkers: A Love Story.
Neither Nikolau nor Beerkus has a known criminal history in New York City. A witness at the scene, Julie Morris, told CBS News New York she had watched the two open a mesh gate on the observation level before climbing up. "We were right at the top. I could see two people open the gates and they went up to the top," Morris said.
The Building
The Empire State Building has 102 floors and stands 1,454 feet tall including its antenna, which transmits broadcast signals for virtually all of New York City's local television and radio stations. The building opened in 1931 and held the title of world's tallest building for 40 years. The air temperature at the top during the incident was 89 degrees with southwest winds of 5 to 10 mph.
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