That was quite the spectacle. The famous Russian "rooftopping" daredevil couple, Angela Nikolau and Ivan Kuznetsov (better known online as Ivan Beerkus), pulled off a massive, unauthorized stunt at the very top of the Empire State Building.
It wasn't just a casual visit to the observation deck; they literally scaled the restricted 1,454-foot radio and television broadcast antenna spire.
Here is how the whole thing played out:
The Stunt & The Proposal
- The Climb: Bypassing security by purchasing tickets the night before and hiding inside the structure overnight, the couple made their way to the 104th floor. They allegedly broke a lock on a security door to access the restricted transmission tower.
- The Peace Banner: Dressed in all black and wearing face coverings, they climbed onto the narrow antenna spire without any safety ropes or tethers. At the peak, they unfurled a massive black banner featuring a modified William Gladstone quote: "When the power of love beats the love of power, the world knows peace."
- The Big Question: After displaying the banner, they climbed down to a slightly lower metal ledge on the latticework. There, Ivan dropped to one knee and proposed. Angela accepted, and they celebrated with high-altitude selfies and hugs.
The Police Response & Arrest
Because the transmission tower carries high-frequency live broadcast equipment, the stunt was incredibly dangerous. To safely retrieve them, the NYPD Emergency Services Unit had to coordinate a 30-minute power shutdown of the skyscraper's active broadcasting array so officers could climb up the structure.
When police reached them, body camera footage captured an officer calmly saying, "Well, you can't be up here," to which a voice replied, "We are engaged."
The couple was escorted down and arrested without incident. They pleaded not guilty in Manhattan Criminal Court to a long list of charges—including felony reckless endangerment, burglary, criminal trespass, and criminal mischief (for about $2,000 in property damage)—and were released under supervision.
Fun Fact: If this couple looks familiar, they were the stars of the popular 2024 Netflix documentary Skywalkers: A Love Story, which detailed their history of illegally scaling some of the world's tallest skyscrapers together.
The Empire State Building management released a statement noting the incident was completely unauthorized, dryly adding that the building already offers an official, completely legal $1,000 "Happily Ever Empire" proposal package for couples who prefer to get engaged without a side of felony charges.
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