Overview
- Two people climbed to the Empire State Building’s restricted antenna and unfurled a large banner before being escorted down and taken into custody by the NYPD.
- Video and the climbers’ social posts indicate the pair staged a marriage proposal at the top of the mast and displayed a banner quoting Jimi Hendrix.
- The climbers have been identified in U.S. media as Russian rooftoppers Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus, who were featured in the 2024 Netflix documentary 'Skywalkers: A Love Story'.
- Police bodycam and aerial footage show officers climbing to the antenna and using helicopters and drones to monitor the scene, and the banner was seized with no injuries reported.
- Investigators are reviewing security camera footage to find how the restricted antenna area was accessed and prosecutors are weighing charges such as trespass, burglary, and reckless endangerment, a development that could prompt tighter rooftop and tower controls at major landmarks.