2 arrested after climbing Empire State Building’s antenna

Two individuals scaled the antenna of the Empire State Building on Wednesday, unfurling a banner that proclaimed "when the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace," before being arrested.

The pair, clad in black attire and masks, balanced on a narrow ledge atop the skyscraper's antenna, which stands 1,454 feet above Midtown Manhattan. News helicopter footage captured them appearing to kiss before descending to a wider ledge. One climber appeared to set up electronic equipment and knelt, while the other took selfies after they kissed again and hugged.

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It’s crazy, it’s like being in the movies.

Police took the climbers into custody shortly after 1 p.m. No injuries were reported. The incident caused onlookers on the sidewalks to gape, with one tourist from Glasgow describing it as "crazy, it’s like being in the movies." The spectacle even overshadowed the planned visit to the building's observation platforms for some.

Office workers within the building expressed disbelief at how the pair managed to bypass security, given the strict screening process. The building's management issued a statement calling the event "unauthorized" and asserting that it posed no danger. However, the statement did not immediately address how the climbers accessed the antenna or their interactions with security personnel. This incident follows previous unauthorized climbs of the Empire State Building by daredevils, though actor Jared Leto was permitted to ascend to the antenna's base in 2023 for promotional purposes.

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I just can’t believe they made it through security.