Empire State Building climbers granted supervised release after proposal stunt

Empire State Building climbers granted supervised release after proposal stunt

A Russian daredevil couple known for scaling global landmarks has been granted supervised release after climbing to the top of the Empire State Building's spire to stage a marriage proposal.

Ivan Kuznetsov, 32, also known as Beerkus, and Angelina Nikolau, 33, appeared in a Lower Manhattan court on Thursday morning. Both residents of East Orange, New Jersey, wore the same black clothing they wore during the climb. They did not enter a plea and were granted a low-level supervised release until their next court date on August 24.

The couple faces a wide array of charges, including burglary, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, criminal trespass, criminal tampering, possession of burglar's tools, disorderly conduct and violation of local law. Their attorney, Jason Krinsky, claimed the district attorney's office overcharged the case to send a message, describing the stunt instead as a message of love.

The Ascent and Proposal

The incident began around noon Wednesday when the pair reached the 1,454-foot peak of the building. Witnesses reported seeing the couple, who were wearing masks upon reaching the top, unfurl a black banner with white lettering that read: When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace. The phrase is often attributed to Jimi Hendrix.

While balancing on a narrow ledge without visible safety tethers, Kuznetsov dropped to one knee and proposed to Nikolau. The couple embraced and kissed before beginning their descent. The event was captured by news helicopters and social media, with Nikolau later posting images of the proposal and the ring.

However, the romantic gesture created a high-risk environment. Former CBS New York chief broadcast engineer John Cleary noted that the tower is a live transmission site with significant electrical energy and RF, which is not like climbing rocks.

Security Breaches and Police Response

The NYPD's Emergency Service Unit (ESU) eventually took the couple into custody just before 1 p.m. Onboard bodycam footage described by NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch as harrowing showed the rescue. Officers had to wait 30 minutes for the antenna to be powered down because the high-frequency radio signals were powerful enough to cause harm to the human body.

Investigators believe the couple may have entered the building the night before and hidden inside. A security camera reportedly caught them passing through a hatch on the 102nd floor at 5 a.m. Wednesday. According to the criminal complaint, a lock on a 104th-floor security door was broken to gain access to the broadcasting antenna. Greg Sanfilippo, vice president of Doyle Security Services, stated that the pair likely conducted pre-observational surveillance to case the building.

One tourist, Julie Morris, told WABC-TV she saw two people pass through a mesh gate on the 102nd-floor observation deck, assuming they worked there because nobody stopped them.

Conflicting Accounts

While the couple presented the climb as a proposal, Nikolau's father, Dmitry Nikolau, told ABC News that the pair are already married and the entire event was a performance. Kuznetsov told detectives he felt he had to do something special for his engagement.

Building management maintained that there was no danger to guests or tenants. In a statement, the Empire State Building noted that its observation deck does offer a practical way for the most memorable marriage proposals, though this specific climb was unauthorized.

The incident briefly disrupted tourism, leading to the evacuation of some observation deck guests. Other witnesses, such as tourist Laura Staub, admitted that while the scene seemed comical at first, it eventually felt unsafe.

The Empire State Building spire has seen other climbs; notably, actor Jared Leto was permitted to climb to the base of the antenna in 2023. However, most other ascents have been illegal.

Kuznetsov and Nikolau are featured in the 2024 Netflix documentary Skywalkers: A Love Story, which chronicles their history of unauthorized skyscraper climbs. They are scheduled to return to court on August 24.