Ivan Beerkus and Angela Nikolau climb the spire of the Empire State Building, unfurl a banner reading “When the power of love beats the love of power, the world knows peace,” and then descend to the base where Beerkus proposes and Nikolau accepts.The couple, who are Russian nationals and who appear in the 2024 documentary “Skywalkers: A Love Story,” scale the 1,454-foot landmark without safety gear, prompting a temporary closure of sections of the building and immediate police response.Building management says the unauthorized ascent posed no danger to visitors or tenants but will not explain how the climbers accessed restricted areas, and employees and visitors report frustration over the disruption.The
New York Police Department takes the pair into custody while officials review footage and access logs and public safety commentators, including
Juliette Kayyem, criticize the stunt as illegal and hazardous.