Russian daredevils Vanya Beerkus and Angela Nikolau are seen as ambassadors for ‘rooftopping’, an unregulated climbing sport.
Revealed On 1 Jul 2026
A protest stunt and obvious marriage proposal on prime of the Empire State Constructing has led to the arrest of two folks in New York Metropolis.
Video shot by a United States information helicopter on Wednesday confirmed two folks, wearing black, showing to kiss on prime of the long-lasting skyscraper’s most important antenna.
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They unfurled a banner inscribed with the phrases, “When the facility of affection beats the love of energy the world is aware of peace,” from their perch, roughly 443 metres (1,454 ft) above the bottom.
It was not clear how the pair gained entry to the antenna, which is positioned nicely above the publicly accessible areas within the 102-storey constructing.
Police physique digital camera footage, launched later within the day, confirmed an officer despatched to retrieve the daredevils.
“How are you doing?” he requested the couple as he ascended a ladder, respiratory closely. Whereas the couple’s response can’t be heard over the wind, the officer proceeded to inform them, “Effectively, you may’t be up right here.”
The arrested couple have since been recognized as Russian nationals Vanya Beerkus and Angela Nikolau. The couple appeared in a 2024 Netflix documentary known as Skywalkers: A Love Story, which chronicled their shared curiosity in “rooftopping”, an city sport that includes scaling metropolis buildings.
“Why ought to I be anxious? I climb up roofs myself,” Dmitriy Nikolau, Angela’s father, instructed the information company Reuters when requested concerning the stunt.
Dmitriy, whom Reuters recognized as a Russian circus artist, reportedly had prior information of his daughter’s climb.
He instructed the information outlet, “I believe it’s regular to climb up a roof in any nation, together with america, in keeping with any structure.”
In a press release, an Empire State Constructing spokesperson described Wednesday’s climb as an “unauthorized incident”, suggesting the couple ought to have as a substitute purchased the constructing’s $1,000 “Fortunately Ever Empire Proposal Bundle” to mark their engagement.
