A couple staged a marriage proposal at the top of the Empire State Building in New York City, leading to their arrest by police.
The pair, identified as 33-year-old Angela Nicolaou and 32-year-old Ivan Biarkus, reportedly climbed to the top of the building's spire, an area restricted to the public, where they unfurled a banner and staged the proposal. Police charged them with multiple offenses, including burglary and trespassing.
According to CNN on July 2, the couple evaded security and reached the spire around noon the previous day. They were approximately 442 meters above ground when they unfurled the banner and appeared to propose.
New York police utilized four ladders to reach the top of the spire and safely brought the couple down for arrest. Body camera footage released by the police showed officers instructing them to stay put, to which the woman responded, "It's okay."
Authorities are investigating how the couple accessed the restricted area. Living in New Jersey, they face several charges under New York law, including burglary, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, and trespassing.
CNN reported that the couple is known as influencers famous for high-altitude stunts. Nicolaou's social media features numerous photos and videos of her atop skyscrapers and structures worldwide, including a recent post showcasing her engagement ring against a city backdrop shortly after the proposal.
The couple also starred in the Netflix documentary "Skywalkers: A Love Story," released in 2024. Netflix described them as "daring influencers who climb skyscrapers for love, freedom, and life," but has not commented on this incident.
They reportedly displayed a banner reading, "When the power of love beats the love of power, the world knows peace."
Andrew McCabe, former deputy director of the FBI, told CNN, "Authorities must charge them appropriately to prevent others from mimicking this behavior."
The Empire State Building serves as a transmission site for most TV and radio broadcasts in the New York area. CNN noted that despite strict security, there have been repeated incidents of climbers and performance artists illegally scaling New York's skyscrapers in the past.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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