Couple identified after Empire State Building climb and rooftop proposal

Ivan Kuznetsov, 32, and Angelina Nikolau, 33, climbed to the top of the Empire State Building and staged a rooftop proposal that drew an NYPD helicopter and forced the observatory to clear visitors before reopening later in the afternoon. The pair, who live in East Orange, New Jersey and are originally from Russia, did not resist arrest.

The two were charged with burglary, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, violation of local law, possession of burglar’s tools, criminal tampering, criminal trespass and disorderly conduct. Kuznetsov also goes by Ivan Beerkus. Police recovered the black banner they unfurled at the top of the tower, which read, “When the power of love beats the power of power the world knows peace.”

The climb reached the Empire State Building’s transmission tower, a metal structure that services the spire, broadcast antenna and red anti-collision beacon above Manhattan. The spire rises 1,454 feet above the ground, and the transmission tower provides radio and television signals to local stations.

Kuznetsov and Nikolau have built an online following around death-defying climbs of tall buildings without ropes or other safety equipment, and they were previously featured in the 2024 documentary Skywalkers: A Love Story. Nikolau posted about the climb while it was happening, including an image of Kuznetsov on one knee and another of her holding up her ring as she looked south across the skyline.

There was no danger to tenants or visitors at the Empire State Building, which completed in 1931 and marked its 95th anniversary on May 1, 2026. The observatory welcomes millions of visitors each year. It was also ranked the No. 1 Top Attraction in the United States in Tripadvisor’s 2026 Travelers’ Choice awards.