A couple known for climbing tall buildings around the world ended Wednesday afternoon engaged and under arrest after scaling the top of New York City’s Empire State Building and displaying a peace banner above the city.
Police identified the pair as Angelina Nikolau, 33, and Ivan Kuznetsov, 32, who live in East Orange, New Jersey. The two climbed onto the building’s spire, nearly 1,500 feet above the ground, while wearing dark clothing and face coverings. No safety gear could be seen.
As they stood at the top, the couple held a black banner that read, “When the power of love beats the love of power, the world knows peace.” The saying is often linked to musician Jimi Hendrix, though reports said it was originally spoken by British politician William Gladstone.
Tourists on the observation deck watched the scene in disbelief. Some said they initially thought the pair worked at the building because nobody stopped them as they entered an area that appeared to be restricted.
The incident quickly drew a response from the New York Police Department. Emergency Service Unit officers climbed inside the spire and met the pair during their descent. Police later released body camera footage showing the encounter. One officer greeted the climbers and told them they were not allowed to be there.
Before reaching the ground, the unusual afternoon took another turn. On one of the lower sections of the tower, Kuznetsov got down on one knee and proposed. Nikolau accepted and put on the ring before continuing down.
The couple later shared photos and videos of the proposal on social media.
They were taken into custody just before 1 p.m. and now face several charges, including burglary, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, possession of burglar’s tools, criminal tampering, criminal trespass and disorderly conduct, according to police. No injuries were reported.
Investigators are trying to determine exactly how the pair reached the spire. Police believe they may have entered through a secured maintenance area near the observation deck and could have been watching staff activity before making their climb. Authorities are reviewing surveillance footage as part of the investigation.
The event also disrupted activity inside and outside the building. Some visitors on the observation deck were moved away from the area, and others waiting to go up never got the chance. Police blocked nearby streets as crowds gathered to watch from below.
A spokesperson for the Empire State Building called the climb an unauthorized incident and said guests and tenants were never in danger. The statement also noted that the observation deck already provides a place for memorable marriage proposals.
Nikolau and Kuznetsov have gained attention in the past for scaling high structures in different countries. They were featured in the 2024 Netflix documentary “Skywalkers: A Love Story,” which follows some of their adventures.
The Empire State Building has seen other climbers before, though most did not have permission to be there. Actor and musician Jared Leto climbed part of the structure in 2023 as part of a promotional event that had been approved by the building.
Image is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license and was created by Eric Kilby.
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