Empire State Building climbers get supervised release after engagement stunt

Angela Nikolau and Ivan Kuznetsov were released under supervised release Thursday after being arraigned in Lower Manhattan for climbing the Empire State Building and turning the ascent into an engagement spectacle watched by millions online. The couple, who live in East Orange, were charged with reckless endangerment, burglary, criminal mischief and other offenses, and are due back in court on Aug. 24.

Nikolau, 33, and Kuznetsov, 32, appeared in the same black clothes they wore during the climb. They spent their first night in separate holding cells before entering court without a plea. Their lawyer, Jason Krinsky, argued the case was overcharged and said the building’s own staff had not seen danger to tenants or guests. “Even the Empire State Building's own people said that there was no risk or danger to any of the tenants, to any of the guests on the observation deck, or anyone in the building,” Krinsky said.

Court documents show that a lock on a restricted security door on the 104th floor had been broken, opening a path to the broadcasting antenna more than 1,300 feet above the street. Investigators say the pair entered the building the night before and hid inside overnight. A security camera then captured them at about 5 a.m. Wednesday going through a hatch on the 102nd floor, and police responded around 11:15 a.m. to a possible security breach. The pair also hung a banner reading, “When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace.”

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said officers confronted a dangerous scene after the stunt unfolded. “As for what I would call the harrowing body camera video that we released last night, recorded by the officers responding to that stunt, it really can take your breath away,” Tisch said. A former NYPD sergeant who now works in corporate security called the breach “quite a disturbing breach.”

The couple have been climbing together since 2016 and are known for rooftopping. They also appeared in the 2024 Netflix documentary Skywalkers: A Love Story and have more than 1.5 million followers combined. Kuznetsov told detectives he had to “do something special for his engagement,” while Nikolau, asked whether the wedding would be in New York City, replied, “I hope so.”