Meet Angela Nikolau and Ivan Kuznetsov, couple arrested after climbing Empire State Building

A marriage proposal on top of one of the world’s most famous skyscrapers may sound like a scene from a movie. But for Russian urban climbers Angela Nikolau and Ivan Kuznetsov, it ended with handcuffs instead of a happy ending.On July 1, the couple illegally climbed the antenna spire of New York City’s Empire State Building, reaching a height of about 1,454 feet (443 metres) above street level. Wearing black clothing and no visible safety equipment, they made their way to the restricted section of the landmark before unfurling a large black banner that read: “When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace.” Shortly afterwards, Kuznetsov got down on one knee and proposed to Nikolau. She accepted, and they hugged while suspended high above Manhattan.The stunt attracted the attention of police and emergency services. New York police department officers, including members of the Emergency Service Unit, climbed to the top of the structure and escorted the couple down. They were arrested without incident and later faced multiple charges, including burglary, criminal trespass and reckless endangerment. Investigators are still examining how they managed to enter the building’s restricted maintenance areas despite extensive security measures.Nikolau and Kuznetsov are not strangers to dangerous climbs. They are among the best-known figures in the urban climbing, or “rooftopping,” community, where participants scale skyscrapers and other tall structures without ropes or harnesses. Their climbs have taken them to some of the world’s tallest buildings, attracting millions of views on social media.Their story reached a wider audience in 2024 through the Netflix documentary Skywalkers: A Love Story. The film follows their relationship and documents several of their high-risk adventures, including climbs in Asia and Europe. The documentary showed both the extraordinary planning behind their expeditions and the dangers involved in their hobby.The Empire State Building’s management condemned the latest stunt, noting that the building already offers official proposal packages for visitors who want a memorable engagement without breaking the law. Authorities also confirmed that access to parts of the observatory was temporarily restricted while emergency responders dealt with the incident.The proposal went viral on social media and officials stressed that the climb was illegal and potentially dangerous. The Empire State Building remains one of New York City’s most secure landmarks, making the incident all the more surprising.