Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus Arrested After Climbing Empire State Building Antenna

A masked couple identified as Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus climbed to the top of the Empire State Building on July 1, unfurled a banner reading "When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace," and were taken into police custody after their descent.

ABC7 New York said the pair were arrested and charged with burglary, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, violation of local laws, possession of burglar's tools, criminal tampering, criminal trespass and disorderly conduct, after police officers from the NYPD's Emergency Service Unit reached them partway up the spire.

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USA Today reported the climbers were clinging to the building’s 1,454-foot-tall antenna and were taken into police custody following their descent around 12:30 p.m. local time.

The BBC said the couple were atop the 1,454 ft (443m) building for at least 10 minutes, and that Beerkus got down on one knee and seemed to propose to Nikolau before they descended and kissed.

Witnesses described the moment the stunt turned into an engagement, with USA Today quoting New York resident Stephanie Hazlewood saying, "One of my coworkers was like, 'Oh my God. He proposed up there,'" after she learned about the incident from a coworker livestream.

The BBC reported the NYPD told it that two individuals had been taken into custody and that they faced charges including burglary, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, trespass and disorderly conduct, according to the BBC's US partner CBS.

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In a statement, an Empire State Building spokesperson told the BBC that the "unauthorized incident" had posed no danger to tenants, visitors, or guests on the observation deck just below the spire.

The BBC also included audio from the couple’s social media video, where Nikolau responded "Russian" when officers asked what language they speak, and said "I'm OK" as the officers told her, "Can you just stay where you are? You can't be up here."

Multiple outlets said investigators were focused on access to the spire, with ABC7 New York stating police believe the duo entered through a locked maintenance hatch on the 102nd floor observation deck and that "How they got the door open is now a major part of the investigation."

The BBC reported preliminary information indicates the pair got in through a hatch on the 103rd floor of the building, used for water tower maintenance, and that it remains unclear how they got from the 102nd to the 103rd floor.

USA Today said the NYPD shut down several streets around the building located at 5th Avenue and 34th Street in Midtown Manhattan, and that the Empire State Building spokesperson said the "unauthorized incident" had been resolved with coordination of the NYPD.

Variety said the couple were in police custody, and it noted they were the stars of Netflix’s 2024 documentary "Skywalkers: A Love Story," while also saying it was unclear how they scaled the 102-story building without ropes or harnesses.