Russian couple climbs 102-story building in New York

A Russian couple climbed the top of the Empire State Building in New York City and unfurled a giant banner promoting world peace as part of a marriage proposal. They were arrested last Wednesday in the incident. They also worked on a Netflix documentary.

Angela Nikolau and Vanya Bearkas were hanging from the red light of the skyscraper's antenna, about 1,454 feet above the sidewalk in Midtown Manhattan. The couple, dressed in short-sleeved black dresses, also shared their moment in the sky on social media.

The black banner they held in the air read, in large white letters, “When the power of love triumphs over the greed for power, then the world will see peace.”

Adventurous marriage proposal

A little after 12:30 p.m., video footage from above shows the couple slowly descending to a platform just below the antenna structure. Bearcus then appears to get down on one knee and propose to Nikolaou. The pair then embrace and kiss.

Nikolaou, wearing her trademark “Catwoman”-style headgear, is then seen gazing in awe at her hand and taking a photo of the ring to share on Instagram. Netflix is ​​producing a documentary called “Skywalkers: A Love Story” in 2024 about the couple and their various adventures, known as “rooftopping.”

The New York Police Department closed off the streets around the building. They later said the couple had been taken into custody "without any problems."

A New York Police Department (NYPD) spokesman said the couple were described by police as Angelina Nikolaou, 33, and Ivan Kuznetsov, 32. They have been charged with several offenses, including trespassing, reckless endangerment, criminal damage, criminal interference, trespassing and disorderly conduct.

The spokesman added that he did not know whether the couple was still in police custody.

It is not clear how they reached the building's antenna.

Security has been tightened at New York's iconic landmarks, including the Empire State Building, since the 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center. The city, which is already in a festive mood as it battles the heatwave, is preparing for the possible wedding of pop star Taylor Swift and National Football League star Travis Kelce and the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence on July 4.

The climber's father claims that "this ‘Normal’

The Art Deco tower, known as the world’s tallest building for decades before losing its top spot to another building in the 1960s, sells tickets to tourists who want to climb its 102nd-floor enclosed observation deck. However, visitors are not allowed to climb the 200-foot (61-meter) antenna tower higher than that.

An Empire State Building spokesman described Wednesday’s climb in a statement as an “unauthorized event.” He said the couple could have rented the observation deck for $1,000 through the building’s “Happily Ever After Empire Proposal Package.”

Nikolaev’s feats run in the family. When contacted by a reporter, her father, Russian circus performer Dmitry Nikolaev, said he was aware of his daughter’s climb.

“I think the constitution of any country, including the United States, "Accordingly, climbing on any roof is a normal thing." Asked if he was worried about his daughter after her arrest, he said, "Why should I be worried? I climb on the roof myself."