Couple charged with felonies for climbing Empire State Building antenna
A daredevil couple who climbed the Empire State Building's antenna and unfurled a love-and-peace banner have been charged with reckless endangerment and burglary.
A couple known for their rooftop stunts has been charged with felonies after climbing the Empire State Building's broadcast antenna in New York on Wednesday. Prosecutors said Thursday that Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus, the subjects of the 2024 Netflix documentary "Skywalkers: A Love Story," ascended the 443-meter antenna to stage an engagement.
After reaching the top, they displayed a black banner reading: "When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace," as seen in news helicopter footage. They then descended to a lower ledge where a proposal took place. Nikolau shared images on social media, including a photo of a ring with a Manhattan backdrop.
Police waited about 30 minutes for the antenna to be powered down before emergency units began climbing and intercepted the couple on their way down. The court complaint noted the danger to officers who climbed about 381 meters. A broken lock was found on a security door to the 104th floor, which provides antenna access. The highest public floor is the 102nd observation deck; going higher requires a key card.
The couple was released without bail under New York law. Their attorney, Jason Krinsky, said they would review evidence and decide next steps. "What a way to propose, something you can only dream of," Krinsky said. Previous unauthorized climbs of the Empire State Building include actor Jared Leto in 2023.
