A Russian couple known for climbing some of the world’s tallest structures without ropes or permission turned New York City’s most famous skyscraper into the backdrop for a marriage proposal this week, an escapade that ended not with applause but with handcuffs.
Ivan Kuznetsov, 32, and Angelina Nikolau, 33, who go by Ivan Beerkus and Angela online, scaled the Empire State Building’s broadcast antenna on Wednesday afternoon, climbing roughly 1,450 feet above Midtown Manhattan. The pair, self-described “rooftoppers,” are known for climbing and posing atop the world’s tallest buildings without safety nets or permission. They wore black masks and clothing as they unfurled a banner reading, “When the power of love beats the love of power, the world knows peace.”
As the couple descended from the spire, Kuznetsov proposed, pulling out a ring. After Nikolau said yes, she wore it as she continued climbing down. A spokesperson for the building later confirmed the antenna posed genuine risk, given the high-frequency radio signals it transmits. Officials said the pair appear to have entered the building the night before with tickets and spent the night inside, with security cameras catching them passing through a hatch on the 102nd floor around 5 a.m. Wednesday.
The antenna, which emits signals powerful enough to harm the human body, had to be powered down for about 30 minutes before NYPD’s Emergency Service Unit could safely approach the pair. Officers then climbed roughly 1,250 feet to reach them and took them into custody just before 1 p.m.
The pair were arraigned Thursday morning on felony charges including burglary, reckless endangerment and criminal mischief, along with several related counts. They could face up to seven years in prison if convicted. The charges are not bail-eligible under New York law, and the two were released under supervision, with their next court date set for August 24.
Despite the seriousness of the charges, courtroom photos showed a couple in celebration rather than distress. The two kissed for cameras after their arraignment, with Kuznetsov telling reporters simply, “We love New York.” Their attorney, Jason Krinsky, argued the district attorney’s office had overcharged the case, calling the stunt “a message of love” and adding, “you gotta give him some credit for that.”
In an unusual twist, Nikolau’s father told reporters the couple were already married and described the stunt as a “performance.” Whatever the truth of that claim, this was not the pair’s first brush with extreme heights. They previously appeared in the 2024 Netflix documentary “Skywalkers: A Love Story,” which followed their unauthorized climbs of buildings including China’s Goldin Finance 117 and Malaysia’s Merdeka 118.
The Empire State Building itself struck a lighter tone in its public response. A spokesperson said the incident posed no danger to tenants, visitors or observation deck guests, and noted, somewhat wryly, that the building “does offer a practical way for the most memorable marriage proposals.” New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani took a firmer line, saying he would prefer people propose “within the bounds of the law and on the ground,” pointing out that the City Clerk’s Office isn’t far away.
Security at the landmark had reportedly been tightened after earlier trespassing attempts near the spire. Investigators believe the couple may have studied building employees’ routines and used a worker entrance to slip past screening. How exactly two people managed an overnight stay and a predawn climb up one of the city’s most recognizable buildings remains, for now, under investigation.
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