Skyscraper climbing couple arrested after scaling Empire State Building antenna

New York City police arrested a Russian couple, Ivan ‘Vanya’ Beerkus and Angela Nikolau, after they climbed the Empire State Building's antenna without authorization. The daredevil climbers, who are professional skyscraper climbers, were taken into custody on Thursday. They face a total of eight charges.

These charges include reckless endangerment, criminal trespass, disorderly conduct, burglary, criminal mischief, possession of burglary tools, and violating a local law. The couple, who were dressed in black and had their faces covered, unfurled a banner with the message "when the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace." They also became engaged at the top of the iconic building.

Beerkus and Nikolau, who reside in East Orange, New Jersey, are known for scaling tall structures without ropes or harnesses. They were featured in the 2024 documentary ‘Skywalkers: A Love Story,’ which detailed their ascents of buildings like Kuala Lumpur's Merdeka 118, the world's second-tallest structure. In a past interview, they mentioned their recent move to New York and their ambition to conquer more buildings.

The Empire State Building's social media accounts responded humorously, noting that they offer proposal packages on their observation decks.

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when the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace