A daredevil couple who scaled the iconic Empire State Building for a sky-high proposal appeared in court Thursday on felony reckless endangerment, burglary and other charges.
The couple, identified as Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus, are the subjects of the 2024 Netflix documentary Skywalkers: A Love Story, which chronicles their “rooftopping” adventures and burgeoning romance.
Beerkus told police that he wanted to “do something special” for their engagement, prosecutors said at Thursday’s hearing.
After their court appearance, Beerkus offered a succinct explanation for the stunt, telling a journalist, “We believe in love.”
But authorities say by ascending the famed skyscraper’s broadcast antenna on Wednesday, the duo created not only a spectacle but also a significant danger.
Upon reaching the summit, 1,454 feet (443 meters) above midtown Manhattan, the climbers displayed a black banner that read: “When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace,” as captured by news helicopter video.
Following this display, they collected the banner and descended to a slightly lower ledge, where a successful marriage proposal reportedly took place. Nikolau subsequently shared images of the escapade on her social media accounts, including a photograph showcasing an engagement-style ring against a panoramic backdrop of Manhattan.
Police waited approximately half an hour for the antenna to be powered down before Emergency Services Unit officers began their ascent. They eventually intercepted the climbers, identified in court documents by their formal names, Angelina Nikolau and Ivan Kuznetsov, as they were making their way down.
The complaint highlighted the inherent danger to the officers, who climbed approximately 1,250 feet (381 meters) above the ground.
The court complaint detailed that police discovered a broken lock on a security door located on the Empire State Building’s restricted-access 104th floor, which provides direct access to the antenna. The highest public floor is the 102nd, home to an observation deck, with access to higher levels requiring a key card.
The Empire State Building’s management has labeled the climb “unauthorized” but has not commented on any interactions the daredevils might have had with security personnel. Visitors to the skyscraper are typically screened and prohibited from bringing large packages, sports equipment, costumes, or masks.
Beerkus, 32, and Nikolau, 33, whose documentary details their often unauthorized ascents of tall structures, sometimes by posing as construction workers, were released without bail. This decision aligns with New York laws that restrict when monetary bail can be set.
Their attorney, Jason Krinsky, stated outside court that he and his clients would assess the evidence once provided by prosecutors to determine their next steps.
Krinsky also praised the romantic gesture, saying, “What a way to propose — something you can only dream of. So you’ve got to, you know, give him some credit for that.”
The Empire State Building has been the target of other daredevils in the past, with many ascents being unauthorized. However, actor and musician Jared Leto was granted permission to climb to the base of the antenna from the 86th floor in 2023 as part of a promotional tour.
