Updated

Updated · The New York Times · Jul 2

Empire State Climbers Arraigned on Felony Charges After Breaking Door for 1,454-Foot Proposal Stunt

Updated

Updated · The New York Times · Jul 2

Empire State Climbers Arraigned on Felony Charges After Breaking Door for 1,454-Foot Proposal Stunt

Q: How did two climbers breach the Empire State Building's security for a viral marriage proposal?

Authorities have not yet established the exact route, but investigators believe the couple got into a restricted area of the Empire State Building and then accessed a locked maintenance hatch near the 102nd-floor observation deck, allowing them to climb onto the spire. Police and building security are reviewing surveillance footage to determine how they bypassed screening and other checkpoints. Officials suspect they may have used a worker entrance after watching employee movements, rather than entering through normal visitor channels. Witness accounts also suggest two people who appeared to belong there moved through off-limits mesh-gated areas without being challenged. That theory fits the pair’s known methods. Angelina Nikolau and Ivan Kuznetsov are experienced “rooftoppers,” and reporting tied to their past exploits indicates they sometimes study staff routines and, at times, pose as workers to gain access to restricted spaces. Investigators are also examining whether a lock on the maintenance hatch was broken or otherwise tampered with. Once on the spire, they remained there for about 30 minutes, unfurled a banner, and Kuznetsov appeared to propose before NYPD Emergency Service Unit officers climbed up and escorted them down. The breach has raised fresh questions about how even a heavily secured landmark could be penetrated by people familiar with exploiting operational gaps rather than defeating security head-on.

3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jul 2

Angela Nikolau, 33, and Ivan Beerkus, 32, were arraigned Thursday on charges including burglary and reckless endangerment after scaling the Empire State Building’s spire and getting engaged.
Prosecutors said the couple trespassed into the Manhattan landmark overnight, broke a security door and entered several restricted areas before reaching the antenna.
Ivan Beerkus—identified in court papers as Ivan Kuznetsov—told police he wanted to do something special for the engagement; the pair also unfurled a love-themed banner as news helicopters circled.
The couple, who live in East Orange, New Jersey, were featured in the 2024 documentary “Skywalkers: A Love Story” and are known for posting similar high-risk climbs worldwide.