On July 1, 2026, Russian couple Angela Nikolau, 33, and Ivan Beerkus, also known as Ivan Kuznetsov, 32, climbed the Empire State Building's spire in New York City without authorization, unfurled a black banner calling for world peace, and staged a public marriage proposal at about 443 meters (1,454 feet) high [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]. The banner carried the message: "When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace" [1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7].

The couple, well-known internationally as "rooftoppers" and extreme climbers who featured in the 2024 Netflix documentary "Skywalkers: A Love Story," wore black clothing and masks and climbed without any safety equipment [2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 5, 6, 7]. They broke a security door on the 104th floor to reach the spire, which lies above the building's highest publicly accessible observation deck on the 102nd floor [3, 7].

After displaying the banner at the spire, Beerkus proposed on one knee on a lower platform. The couple embraced and kissed before police escorted them down and arrested them [2, 4, 8, 9, 5, 6, 7]. The arrest followed a 30-minute wait while emergency services powered down the antenna atop the spire to ensure safety [3, 7].

No injuries or casualties occurred during the stunt [4, 8, 9, 7]. The Empire State Building's owners confirmed the climb was unauthorized, urging people who want to propose to use the official observation deck instead. They said, "It is to be emphasized that the Empire State Building Observation Deck... does offer a practical way for the most memorable marriage proposals" [1, 4, 8, 7].

Police charged the couple with reckless endangerment, burglary, criminal trespassing, criminal mischief, criminal tampering, disorderly conduct, and possession of burglary tools. The incident caused about $2,000 in property damage [1, 3, 7].

The couple’s lawyer, Jason Krinsky, argued the charges were excessive, saying, "The couple were overcharged. They were not a risk to anyone but themselves... This really is a great way to propose, something only imaginable in dreams. So, you have to give him some credit" [3]. Beerkus said simply, "We believe in love" [7].

Angela Nikolau has 1.8 million social media followers, while Ivan Beerkus has over 500,000 [1, 3]. The pair has previously scaled skyscrapers in China and California [1, 3].

The couple was released on supervised release without bail and is scheduled to appear again in court in August 2026 [3].