Empire State Building Climbers Charged After Proposal Stunt
Two climbers who scaled the Empire State Building’s antenna on 1 July 2026 to display a peace banner and stage an apparent marriage proposal were arraigned the following day on felony charges, including burglary and reckless endangerment, according to ABC News.
The climbers, Angelina Nikolau, 33, and Ivan Kuznetsov, 32, are Russian nationals residing in East Orange, New Jersey. Kuznetsov is also known as Ivan Beerkus, while Nikolau uses the name Angela Nikolau.
How the Climbers Reached the Antenna
According to a court report from ABC News, the pair allegedly entered the skyscraper with tickets on 30 June 2026 and secretly remained inside overnight.
Investigators said surveillance footage showed them passing through a hatch on the 102nd floor at approximately 5 a.m. the following morning. The Manhattan District Attorney’s criminal complaint alleged that a lock on a restricted-access door leading to the 104th floor and broadcast antenna had been broken.
The couple then climbed the exposed metal structure, reaching the spire’s upper section. ABC News reported that the top of the Empire State Building stands 1,454 feet above ground level.
Peace Banner and Apparent Proposal
At the summit, the pair displayed a black banner carrying a message attributed to Jimi Hendrix: “When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace.”
Video footage showed Kuznetsov apparently proposing to Nikolau after the climb. The couple also shared photographs of the ring and their experience on social media.
However, Nikolau’s father, Dmitry Nikolau, told ABC News that the couple were already married and described the apparent proposal as a “performance.”
Police Response and Safety Concerns
The NYPD deployed a helicopter, while visitors were temporarily cleared from the observation deck. The deck reopened later that afternoon.
According to the criminal complaint, responding officers faced a separate hazard because the broadcast antenna emitted potentially harmful radio signals. Emergency personnel waited approximately 30 minutes for the antenna to be powered down before approaching the climbers.
An Empire State Building spokesperson told ABC News that tenants and visitors had not been endangered.
Felony Charges and Court Proceedings
At their 2 July 2026 arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court, the defendants faced multiple charges, including burglary, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, criminal trespass, criminal tampering, possession of burglar’s tools and disorderly conduct.
Both were released under court supervision without entering pleas.
Defence attorney Jason Krinsky disputed the prosecution’s approach, saying the district attorney’s office had “overcharged” the case.
“They are trying to send a message,” Krinsky said after the hearing.
The couple previously appeared in the 2024 Netflix documentary Skywalkers: A Love Story, which featured their climb of the Merdeka 118 skyscraper in Kuala Lumpur.
ABC News reported that their next court appearance was scheduled for 24 August 2026. The outcome of that hearing has not been established in the cited reporting.
