High-risk climbing stunts on major landmarks have drawn growing attention in recent years, especially as social media and documentary projects have given rooftop climbers larger audiences. In New York City, that issue came into focus again on July 1, when two people climbed the Empire State Building’s antenna, appeared to stage a proposal, and were later arrested.
Two climbers reached the Empire State Building antenna and were arrested
Two people climbed to the top of the Empire State Building’s antenna on July 1, 2026, unfurled a banner and then appeared to get engaged before police took them into custody, according to the New York Police Department and video reviewed by AP and ABC7 New York. A police statement cited by multiple outlets said officers observed the pair on the antenna at about 12 p.m. at the building at 20 West 34th Street in Midtown Manhattan.
Aerial video carried by local television showed the pair dressed in dark clothing and standing on a narrow ledge high above the observation areas. AP reported that the banner referenced “the power of love” and peace, while footage also showed one of the climbers dropping to one knee after the pair descended from the highest point of the structure.
ABC7 New York identified the climbers as Angela Nikolau, 33, and Ivan Kuznetsov, 32, also known publicly as Ivan Beerkus. The station reported they were charged with burglary, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, criminal tampering, criminal trespass, possession of burglar’s tools, disorderly conduct and violation of local law after investigators found damaged locks in a restricted area.
The confirmed local impact was immediate in Midtown, where emergency responders converged on one of New York’s best-known buildings and police moved to secure the area around the landmark. CBS New York reported that access around the site was affected as officers, including the NYPD Emergency Service Unit, responded to the scene and later escorted the climbers into custody.
The Empire State Building said in a statement carried by several outlets that the climb was unauthorized. The company also pointed to its legal proposal package on the observation deck, underscoring that the stunt took place far above public visitor areas and outside any sanctioned part of the attraction.
What remains unclear is exactly how the pair reached the antenna. News reports cited broken locks on an upper floor, but authorities have not publicly released a full step-by-step account of the route used to access the restricted structure above the observatory. Officials also had not, as of early July 2, publicly detailed any injuries, and reports indicated the two climbers and responding officers came down safely.
The incident is getting wider attention because it combined trespass at a globally recognized landmark with a form of “rooftopping” already familiar to online audiences. AP and ABC News noted that Nikolau and Beerkus were featured in the 2024 Netflix documentary Skywalkers: A Love Story, which followed their high-altitude climbing exploits and relationship.
That background helps explain why authorities are treating the episode as more than an attention-grabbing proposal. The charges reported by ABC7 suggest investigators believe the pair entered and used restricted building areas unlawfully, and that the conduct created a public-safety risk for themselves, responding officers and the heavily visited Midtown property.
For New York residents and visitors, the practical takeaway is narrower than the viral images: the public observation decks remained distinct from the restricted antenna area involved in the case, and authorities have not said the incident changed standard visitor operations beyond the police response. As of July 2, the case stood as a criminal matter in New York City tied to alleged unauthorized entry into one of the state’s most prominent buildings.