Love message after scaling Empire State Building lands couple

Angela (Angelina) Nikolau, 33, and Ivan Beerkus (Kuznetsov), 32, left the courthouse at 100 Centre Street holding hands before sharing a kiss in front of reporters. The pair then made their way toward a nearby subway station, where they were surrounded by members of the media eager to learn why they had risked their lives climbing one of New York City's most famous skyscrapers.

"We believe in the power of love," Beerkus said, referring to the banner the couple displayed from the building's spire. "It was cold up there."

Asked about their time in police custody, Beerkus said officers had treated them well. "People were nice there. Police are nice," he added.

The incident took place around 11:15 a.m. on July 1, when the couple allegedly gained access to the building's 105th-floor spire at 20 West 34th Street. Wearing black clothing and face masks, they climbed the antenna nearly 1,500 feet above the ground before unfurling a black-and-white banner that read: "If the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace."

During the stunt, Beerkus also proposed to Nikolau on a platform below the antenna. Television cameras captured him kneeling before his partner, who accepted the proposal. Shortly afterward, officers from the New York City Police Department Emergency Service Unit> took the pair into custody.

According to reports, authorities temporarily shut down the building's antenna during the incident to reduce potential risks from radio transmissions while the climbers were on the structure.

The couple are well known for performing dangerous rooftop stunts around the world and previously appeared in the Skywalkers documentary.

They now face multiple criminal charges, including burglary, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, criminal trespass, possession of burglar's tools, criminal tampering, disorderly conduct and violations of local laws.

Their attorney, Jason Krinsky, argued that prosecutors had filed excessive charges, saying the couple's actions were intended to spread "a message of love" rather than cause harm.

"No one was hurt here," Krinsky told reporters, adding that weather conditions were calm at the time of the climb. Referring to the dramatic proposal, he said, "She didn't say no, and everything went well. It's a proposal you could only dream of."

The case remains under investigation, and further court proceedings are expected in the coming weeks.

MMR