Thursday, July 2Thursday, July 2Two Russian rooftoppers scaled the Empire State Building on Wednesday, unfurled a banner reading “When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace,” staged a marriage proposal 1,450 feet above Manhattan, and were taken into custody after a dramatic descent, New York police confirmed on Thursday.
The pair—identified by multiple outlets as Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus, social-media personalities known for rooftopping stunts—reached the building’s antenna just after noon on 1 July 2026, according to footage aired by France 24 . Office workers below reported seeing the couple in black clothing emerge on the antenna, deploy the banner, and kiss before one knelt and the other displayed a ring. The scene was captured on multiple news outlets’ cameras and shared widely on social media .
New York City police confirmed the arrests shortly after the couple descended without safety gear, telling Yahoo News they now face eight charges including reckless endangerment, trespassing, and disorderly conduct . Euronews noted that visitors to the landmark are screened and prohibited from bringing large packages, sports equipment, costumes or masks—items the couple reportedly evaded .
The stunt unfolded against a backdrop of heightened security at the Empire State Building, where routine visitor checks have tightened in recent years. Yet the couple’s apparent ability to bypass those measures underscored the persistent challenge of securing iconic landmarks against determined climbers. Al Jazeera described Nikolau and Beerkus as “ambassadors for rooftopping,” a niche climbing subculture that prizes scaling urban structures without permits .
The banner’s message—“When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace”—echoed themes of nonviolence and unity, though the couple’s motives remain unclear. Some outlets speculated the proposal was staged for social-media content, while others suggested a political subtext given the climbers’ nationality and the timing. Meduza framed the act as a defiant performance amid geopolitical tensions, titling its report “Two Russian rooftoppers climbed the Empire State Building without safety gear, got engaged at the top—and then got arrested” .
City officials have not commented on whether the incident will prompt further restrictions at the landmark. For now, the Empire State Building remains open to visitors, though security personnel are reviewing access protocols. The couple is being held without bail pending a court appearance scheduled for next week.
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3 further sources not geolocated
Für die „Macht der Liebe: Paar erklimmt Spitze des Empire State Building Verlobung auf dem Empire State Building? Zwei Extremkletterer entrollen in 443 Metern Höhe ein Friedensbanner. Beide befinden sich inzwischen in Gewahrsam.
faz · about 2 hours ago
Exclusive: Mitt Romney Secured Visas for Todays Russian Empire State Building Climbers in 2024, Ex-NYC Top Cop Thought They Could Never Pull It Off Here
gdeltproject.org · about 2 hours ago
De man haalde zijn schouders op. Alles went, zei hij. Ook Kudelstaart
parool · about 2 hours ago
Daredevil couple arrested after scaling Empire State Building to get engaged 1,450 feet in the air The couple shared their experience on top of the antena via social meddia
independent · about 2 hours ago
Couple arrested after daring Empire State marriage proposal stunt Russian daredevils Vanya Beerkus and Angela Nikolau are seen as ambassadors for rooftopping, a climbing sport.
aljazeera · about 2 hours ago
Two arrested after climbing Empire State Building antenna for marriage proposal Two people climbed the antenna of New Yorks Empire State Building on Wednesday, unfurled a banner promoting the power of love and appeared to stage a marriage proposal before being arrested. News footage showed the masked pair kissing atop the skyscraper before one knelt and the other appeared to display a ring.
france24 · about 3 hours ago
Letter: The right lesson to draw from New Yorks AI power squeeze From Anne Jellema and Bill McKibben
financial times · about 3 hours ago
Couple who scaled Empire State Building with banner now face 8 charges
news.yahoo.com · about 4 hours ago
Heiratsantrag in 440 Metern Höhe?: Zwei Menschen klettern auf das Empire State Building – Festnahme In schwindelerregender Höhe sorgten zwei Kletterer für Aufsehen am Empire State Building in New York. Am Ende nahm die Aktion eine unerwartete Wendung.
tagesspiegel · about 4 hours ago
In het midden Horizontaal: 1. Staat in de Binas naast 5 verticaal 6. Biertje voor een film in Cannes 9. In- dan wel uitgang van saai nieuws 10. De Kom of Corbijn 12.
nrc · about 4 hours ago
Two arrested after unfurling power of love banner on Empire State Building antenna Office workers wondered how the pair managed to get to the antenna of a high-profile building where visitors are screened and told not to bring large packages, sports equipment, costumes or masks, among other items.
euronews · about 4 hours ago
Două persoane au urcat în vârful Empire State Building din New York. Ce mesaj au transmis lumii Miercuri, două persoane au urcat în vârful clădirii Empire State din New York și au desfășurat un banner mare pe care scria: „Când puterea iubirii învinge iubirea de putere, lumea cunoaște pacea, relatează BBC.
digi24 · about 5 hours ago
📰 Two Russian rooftoppers climbed the Empire State Building without safety gear, got engaged at the top — and then got arrested🔗 #RussianInvasion #RussianWar #Ukraine
mastodon bot · about 5 hours ago
Friade på Empire State Buildings topp En man och en kvinna klättrade till Empire State Buildings topp i New York och vecklade ut en banderoll med budskap om kärlekens kraft.
svenska dagbladet · about 5 hours ago
Daredevils reach top of Empire State Building with banner, before apparent proposal
news.yahoo.com · about 6 hours ago
Mistænkeligt forhold fik politiet til at rykke ud til russisk ambassade
dr.dk · about 6 hours ago
Friar på toppen av skyskrapan Märkliga scener på toppen av Empire State Building
expressen · about 6 hours ago
Empire State Building | Venäläiskaksikko kiipesi pilvenpiirtäjän latvaan ja rullasi auki rauhanlakanan Kaksikko kipusi lopulta rauhallisesti alas rakennuksen huipulta poliisien odottaviin syleihin.
helsingin sanomat · about 6 hours ago
Paar klettert mit Friedensbotschaft auf Empire State Building Die zwei Kletterer enthüllten ein Plakat mit der Botschaft: "When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace". Ihre Aktion war nicht genehmigt
der standard · about 6 hours ago
Russian couple arrested after climbing Empire State Building Two Russian climbers scaled New Yorks Empire State Building on Wednesday as part of a death-defying marriage proposal.
aljazeera · about 6 hours ago
Dos personas trepan a la cima del Empire State Building para una petición de matrimonio La supuesta proposición contó con el despliegue de una pancarta en la que se leía: Cuando el poder del amor vence al amor por el poder, el mundo conoce la paz; los dos escaladores fueron detenidos
la vanguardia · about 7 hours ago
Detenidas dos personas por colgar una pancarta sobre el poder del amor en la antena del Empire State en Nueva York La escena ha incluido lo que parece una pedida de mano. Angela Nikolau e Ivan Beerkus, una pareja con miles de seguidores en redes sociales que suben a los edificios más altos del mundo, han publicado las fotos en sus redes sociales. Leer
elmundo · about 7 hours ago
Two arrested after scaling Empire State Building in daring stunt
news.yahoo.com · about 7 hours ago
Οι προτάσεις γάμου... δυσκόλεψαν: Γονάτισε και της πρόσφερε δαχτυλίδι στην κορυφή του Empire State Building, δείτε βίντεο Το ζευγάρι ξεδίπλωασε πανό στα 443 μέτρα ύψος που έγραφε: «Όταν η δύναμη της αγάπης νικά την αγάπη για δύναμη, ο κόσμος βιώνει ειρήνη»
protothema · about 7 hours ago
Tweetal in zwarte kleding beklimt antenne op Empire State Building in New York Een man en een vrouw zijn dinsdagmiddag in een antenne op het dak van het Empire State Building in New York geklommen. Ze lieten een vlag zien met een vredesoproep en de man deed een huwelijksaanzoek. De twee zijn gearresteerd.
nu.nl · about 7 hours ago
Empire State Buildingin antenniin kiivenneen kaksikon henkilöllisyys selvisi
iltalehti · about 7 hours ago