Couple arrested just after landing marriage proposal on top of 1,500-foot high-rise

New York witnessed an unprecedented demonstration of how far one can go to express love. A couple got engaged by hanging a banner after climbing to the very top of the city's iconic Empire State Building. Following the incident, both of them were arrested on Wednesday afternoon (July 1).

New York Police Department (NYPD) informed that the two arrested individuals are Ivan Kuznetsov, 32, and Angela Nikolau, 33. They are known on social media as Ivan Beerkus and Angela, respectively. The Russian-origin couple currently resides in East Orange, New Jersey, USA. They are well-known faces in the world of "rooftoping"—a risky hobby of climbing ultra-tall buildings without ropes or safety equipment; their story was featured in the Netflix documentary "Skywalkers: A Love Story" released in 2024.

On Wednesday afternoon, the duo dressed in black climbed to the peak of the building's main antenna, which stands about 443 meters (1,454 feet) above the ground. There, they unfurled a banner that read: "When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace." Video captured from US media helicopters also showed them kissing on the pinnacle.

The real surprise came on their way down. Kuznetsov pulled a ring out of his pocket and proposed to Nikolau. Saying "yes," Nikolau wore the ring and began descending. The couple recorded their entire expedition on their own cameras and posted the photos of the proposal and the ring online.

However, the romance ended in police custody. Specially trained members of the NYPD's Emergency Service Unit put on harnesses, climbed the antenna, intercepted them midway, and took them into custody shortly before 1pm. Videos released by the NYPD showed that the two offered no resistance during the arrest.

A flurry of charges has been brought against them, including burglary, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, violation of local laws, possession of burglar's tools, criminal tampering, criminal trespass, and disorderly conduct. They were scheduled to be produced in court on Thursday morning.

Meanwhile, investigators are looking into how the couple bypassed security to reach the pinnacle. It is suspected that they might have used the building's commercial or tenant entrance to avoid the observation deck's security screening. A source mentioned that the building's antenna was turned off during the incident due to the risk of exposure to radio frequency waves.

Although the Empire State Building authorities termed the incident "unauthorized," they stated that tenants, visitors, or observation deck guests were never at risk. The authorities also added a touch of humor, saying that the building's observation deck is a more practical place for a memorable marriage proposal. A spokesperson jokingly said that the couple should have instead bought the building's official $1,000 proposal package for their engagement.

On the other hand, Nikolau's father, Russian circus artist Dmitry Nikolau, was completely unfazed by his daughter's stunt. He told the news agency Reuters that he climbs roofs himself and considers roof-climbing normal in any country under any constitution.

Notably, the antenna and other parts of the Empire State Building have seen adventurous climbs before, most of which were unauthorized. However, in 2023, actor and musician Jared Leto was granted permission to climb from the 86th floor to the base of the antenna to promote a tour.