Man and woman climbed to the top of the Empire State Building, they were arrested by the police

New York – A man and a woman ended up in police custody today after they climbed to the top of the New York skyscraper Empire State Building, where they unfurled a banner with a message about peace and love. Dressed in black, with masks on their faces and apparently without safety ropes, they balanced atop the antenna that rises 443 meters above downtown Manhattan, American media report. According to Variety magazine, they were Russian influencers Ivan Beerkus and Angela Nikolau, known for climbing skyscrapers worldwide without harnesses or safety ropes.

"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace," read the white letters on the black banner that waved in the wind atop the iconic 102-story art deco skyscraper. The couple who unfurled it hugged each other and took photos while holding onto the antenna.

The man and woman then descended down the metal structure of the antenna to a wider ledge, where the man knelt. The couple kissed, and the woman took a selfie with her outstretched hand, as if examining a ring. Nikolau posted photos of the climb on the social network Instagram. Beerkus, whose real name is Ivan Kuznetsov, reportedly asked her to marry him.

The adventurous duo attracted news helicopters and prompted several witnesses to call emergency services at 911. "It's crazy, it's like a movie," said Jonathan Roman, a tourist from Glasgow, to the AP. The man had planned to visit one of the observation decks of the Empire State Building with his 15-year-old son. When they arrived, access to the skyscraper was blocked due to the events at the antenna. However, the spectacle was "probably more exciting than going to the observation deck for the second time," the man believes.

People working in Manhattan offices were puzzled by how the couple managed to bypass security and reach the antenna of the famous building, where visitors go through checks and are not allowed to bring large luggage, sports equipment, costumes, or masks. "I can't believe they got through security," said Jessica Kaplan, who works in the offices of the Empire State Building.

The police detained the man and woman. They did not disclose their names, only stating that no one was injured.

In 2024, a documentary film about Nikolau and Beerkus titled Skywalkers: The Story of One Love premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. The distribution rights were subsequently purchased by Netflix. The film captures the couple's climb of the 118-story Merdeka 118 skyscraper in Kuala Lumpur. The second tallest building in the world, including its spire, reaches a height of 678.9 meters. Beerkus and Nikolau spent about 30 hours in the building, where they slept and hid from construction workers. After a successful climb to the top, they fled Malaysia before facing legal consequences.