“No One’s Topping This”: Daring Proposal on New York’s Empire State Building Ends in Arrest

• A Russian couple were arrested after they climbed to the top of New York’s Empire State Building
• The pair unfurled a banner about love before one got down on one knee to propose
• Police body camera footage showed officers calmly speaking to the couple as they climbed down

Two Russian climbers were arrested in New York on 1 July 2026 after scaling the Empire State Building and staging a marriage proposal near its antenna. Body camera footage captured the dramatic moment police caught up with the pair high above the city.

The climbers were later identified as Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus, both known for daring stunts around the world. Dressed in black and wearing masks, they reached the antenna section of the 443-metre skyscraper, well above the areas open to the public.

Couple unfurl banner before proposal

Once at the top, the pair unfurled a banner with a message about love overpowering the pursuit of power. After several minutes on the antenna, they moved down to a lower section of the structure.

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There, one of the climbers got down on one knee in what looked like a marriage proposal. The two were then seen hugging and kissing before officers reached them.

Police footage showed an officer telling the couple they weren’t allowed to be up there. One of the climbers could be heard responding that they had just gotten engaged.

The pair calmly spoke with officers as they made their way down a ladder inside the building. It’s still unclear how they managed to reach the antenna in the first place.

A spokesperson for the Empire State Building confirmed the stunt was unauthorised. The building maintained that no one inside the skyscraper was ever in danger during the incident.

People on the street below watched the entire event unfold in disbelief. One witness compared the scene to something straight out of a movie.

Nikolau and Beerkus are already known online for their extreme climbing videos. The couple were even the subject of a Netflix documentary about their relationship and daredevil lifestyle.

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Reactions online were mixed, with some calling the stunt terrifying and others admiring their courage. Several people said they already follow the couple’s climbing adventures on social media.

Watch the video below:

Source: Briefly News