Two masked thrill-seekers scaled the Empire State Building on Wednesday, unfurling a protest-style banner before the stunt took an unexpected romantic turn with a dramatic proposal.
Angela Nikolau, 33, and Vanya Beerkus, 32, a Russian couple featured in a Netflix documentary, climbed the spire of the iconic New York City skyscraper, which rises to 1,454 feet.
While perched high above Manhattan, the pair displayed a banner reading: “When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace.”
The wording appears to be a variation of a quote linked to British statesman William Gladstone, though it is frequently and incorrectly attributed to rock legend Jimi Hendrix.
After raising the banner around noon, the climbers started making their way down shortly after 12.30pm, eventually reaching a lower platform where Beerkus got down on one knee and proposed.
Nikolau appeared to accept, with a helicopter circling the tower capturing the couple embracing before they removed their masks and kissed. Around midday, the influencer also shared video footage of herself atop the Empire State Building.
The couple, known for their high-rise climbing exploits, appeared in the 2024 Netflix documentary Skywalkers: A Love Story.
Two masked daredevils were seen climbing to the top of the Empire State Building in New York City on Wednesday
A daredevil influencer, Angela Nikolau, posts herself scaling tall buildings while donning a black cat face covering. She is often videoed with musician Vanya Beerkus
After they began their descent at around 12.30pm, Beerkus proposed to Nikolau on a lower deck of the spire, and she appeared to say yes as the pair embraced and shared a kiss
Nikolau has posted herself scaling tall buildings and performing hair-raising acts while donning a black cat face covering.
She is often videoed and pictured atop the terrifyingly tall buildings with musician Beerkus.
Nikolau posted a series of photos of the pair not long after the ordeal, including a photo of the proposal and her flashy new diamond ring.
The New York City Police Department were seen reporting to the scene and the pair were taken into custody at around 1pm, CBS News reported.
Sources told the outlet that the pair may faces charges including trespassing and reckless endangerment.
Tourists and onlookers were seen gazing up in astonishment at the scene unfolding above them, as the Empire State Building’s observation deck was quickly cleared.
Julie Morris, who saw the scene unfold, told the outlet: ‘We were right at the top. I could see two people open the gates – the mesh gates – they opened the gates, and they went up to the top.
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‘I just assumed they were allowed up there.’
On the street below the iconic building, police had taped off the area and closed the street.
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Nikolau posted a series of photos of the pair atop the Empire State Building, including a photo of the proposal and her flashy diamond ring
Nikolau shared a video of herself on top of the Empire State Building at around midday
As they were seen clinging to the building’s spire, the pair flew a banner which read: ‘When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace’
Tourists and onlookers were seen gazing up in astonishment at the scene unfolding above them, as the Empire State Building’s observation deck was quickly cleared
The New York City Police Department seen responding to the scene and the couple were arrested at around 1pm
