- Russian couple scaled Empire State Building antenna for proposal.
- Unfurled "power of love" banner, then were arrested.
- Known "rooftoppers" from Netflix's "Skywalkers: A Love Story".
A daredevil couple scaled the Empire State Building’s antenna on Wednesday and unfurled a banner about “the power of love” and peace, apparently as part of an audacious, high-altitude marriage proposal, soon followed by their arrest. The Russian climbers, who go by Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus, were the subject of the 2024 Netflix documentary “ Skywalkers: A Love Story ” about their “rooftopping” exploits and budding romance.
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Dressed in black and wearing masks but not tethers, the two balanced on a narrow ledge and appeared to kiss atop the New York skyscraper’s antenna, news helicopter video showed. The banner, reading “when the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace,” waved from the structure, which rises 1,454 feet (443 meters) above midtown Manhattan.
Russian daredevils Angela Nikolau and Vanya Beerkus scaled New York's Empire State Building spire, got engaged 1,454 feet above Midtown Manhattan while holding a peace banner, then were arrested by police after climbing back down https://t.co/hmhZuAZIVi pic.twitter.com/aHV69S3o1f
— Reuters (@Reuters) July 2, 2026
Couple kissed again and hugged
After lingering for a time, the two collected the banner and began to climb down, picking their way along the latticework of metal to a wider ledge, where one seemed to set up a piece of photography equipment and got down on one knee. After the two kissed again and hugged, the other person took selfies with an outstretched left hand, as if examining a ring.
Police Emergency Services Unit officers started ascending a ladder in the spindly structure to intercept them. Police body camera video showed an officer calling out a greeting and explaining, “Well, you can’t be up here.”
“We are engaged"
An off-camera voice replied with what sounded like, “We are engaged.” A few seconds later, officers reached a landing within the antenna and met the couple, who were coming down a ladder and calmly spoke with police, the video showed.
(Image credit: angela_nikolau/Instagram)
Daring couple arrested soon after engagement
The two climbers — whom police identified by their formal names, Angelina Nikolau and Ivan Kuznetsov — were arrested on burglary, reckless endangerment and other charges. It wasn’t immediately clear whether they had attorneys who could speak to the allegations. Messages seeking comment were sent to the couple.
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“Skywalkers: A Love Story” follows Beerkus and Nikolau as they make often unauthorized ascents of tall structures, sometimes posing as construction workers to sneak in.
How did they reach the antena?
It wasn’t clear how the pair gained access to the Empire State Building’s antenna, which rises well above public areas of the 102-story building. Building management said in a statement that the episode was “unauthorized” and didn’t endanger anyone in the skyscraper.
The management didn’t answer questions about how the two reached the antenna and what interactions, if any, they had with security workers. Empire State Building visitors are screened and told not to bring large packages, sports equipment, costumes or masks, among other items.
(With inputs from PTI)