Masked couple arrested after climbing Empire State Building, flying banner – USA Today

NEW YORK – Two masked climbers scaled the Empire State Building on July 1 to share a message of love from the top of the iconic New York City skyscraper. 
The climbers self-identified on social media as Russian couple Ivan Beerkus and Angela Nikolau. The daredevil couple was the subject of the 2024 documentary “Skywalkers: A Love Story.”
Beerkus and Nikolau, clinging to the building’s 1,454-foot-tall antenna, flew a banner reading: “When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace.”
The climbers were taken into police custody following their descent around 12:30 p.m. local time. New York City Police Department officials did not confirm the couple’s identity or share what charges they face. 
USA TODAY has reached out to the couple, who documented the climb on social media, for comment. 
The death-defying stunt caused a stir in the nation’s largest city. NYPD officers responded to the scene and shut down several streets around the building located at 5th Avenue and 34th Street in Midtown Manhattan. 
According to Empire State Building officials, the facility is the fourth-tallest building in the city and the sixth-tallest in the United States.
New York resident Stephanie Hazlewood, who works on the building’s fourth floor, told USA TODAY she learned about the incident from a coworker who sent her a livestream of the footage.
“One of my coworkers was like, ‘Oh my God. He proposed up there,'” Hazelwood recalled.
The NYPD could not immediately confirm to USA TODAY whether the pair got engaged. Video taken from the air shows the moment that Beerkus appeared to get on one knee to propose to Nikolau. She also appeared to say yes, before the two embraced at the top of the building.
In an Instagram post on July 1, Nikolau showed off a ring with the New York skyline in the background.
Hazelwood said she thought the pair were simply performance artists.
“But I don’t really know exactly what it is,” Hazelwood said. “It just seems like an attention thing and art, maybe.”
Hector Alvarez, who also witnessed the scene, said he saw the pair being escorted away in handcuffs, and said he was in awe at the couple’s actions.
“They kind of looked like ninjas,” Alvarez told USA TODAY.
An Empire State Building spokesperson said the “unauthorized incident” had been resolved with coordination of the NYPD. There was no threat to tenants, visitors and Empire State Building Observation Deck guests, the spokesperson said.
“It is to be emphasized that the Empire State Building Observation Deck, atop the ‘World’s Most Famous Building’ in the center of New York City, does offer a practical way for the most memorable marriage proposals,” the spokesperson said in a statement, offering a link to book a proposal.
Contributing: Eduardo Cuevas and Fernando Cervantes Jr.
This story has been updated to add video. 
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.

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