Couple scales Empire State Building, unfurls banner, gets engaged and arrested

Two climbers reached the top of the Empire State Building’s antenna Wednesday and forced police to clear the observation deck nearly 1,500 feet above Midtown Manhattan. The pair were taken into New York Police Department custody without incident, and charges were pending.

The climbers were identified as Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus, also known as Ivan Kuznetsov. The two are known as rooftoppers, daredevils who scale skyscrapers without ropes or harnesses, and they were featured in Netflix’s 2024 documentary Skywalkers: A Love Story.

The climbers reached the building’s antenna or spire around noon on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, then unfurled a banner that read, “When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace.” The line is a modified version of a quote often attributed to Jimi Hendrix, though it was originally spoken by William Gladstone. The pair appeared to kiss or embrace near the top before descending.

An NYPD helicopter responded as the stunt drew onlookers and social media attention. The Empire State Building’s observation deck was cleared of visitors during the response, and police recovered the banner. No injuries were reported.

The building is a 1,454-foot tower that celebrated its 95th anniversary on May 1, 2026. The climbers got beyond the public observation levels and onto the spire itself, then remained there long enough for aerial footage to capture them before officers took them into custody.