Two rooftop climbers were arrested after scaling the Empire State Building, displaying a banner and announcing their engagement afterward.

An Empire State Building climb by internationally known rooftop climbers Angela Nikolau and Ivan (Vanya) Beerkus ended with their arrest in New York City on Wednesday after they scaled the iconic skyscraper and unfurled a peace banner from the antenna spire.

Police and building security responded around noon as helicopters circled the landmark. The dramatic stunt concluded with a surprise marriage proposal, which the couple later confirmed through social media, where they shared engagement photographs overlooking the Manhattan skyline.

Daredevil stunt draws police response in Manhattan

Authorities responded after two individuals were spotted near the top of the 1,454-foot Empire State Building carrying a banner that read, “When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace.” Witnesses watched as the pair remained atop the structure before eventually being taken into custody.

Before the arrests, Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus documented the climb on Instagram. Nikolau shared videos showing panoramic views of Manhattan from the summit, followed by footage captured from the street showing her waving from the upper section of the landmark.

Engagement follows high-profile rooftop adventure

The Climber couples arrested incident quickly gained international attention after the duo announced their engagement. Their joint Instagram post featured Beerkus proposing, Nikolau displaying her engagement ring above the city skyline and photographs of the couple celebrating the milestone.

Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus are widely recognized for participating in the illegal "rooftopping" subculture, where climbers scale skyscrapers and monuments without safety equipment to capture dramatic images and videos.

The Moscow-born adventurers have previously climbed landmarks including the Eiffel Tower, Sagrada Familia, Shanghai Tower and Goldin Finance 117 in Tianjin, building a large global social media following through their extreme exploits.

Key Highlights

  • Two climbers scaled the Empire State Building's antenna spire.

  • Police arrested pair after highly publicized rooftop stunt.

  • Peace banner displayed from iconic New York City landmark.

  • Proposal followed dramatic climb above Manhattan skyline.

  • Couple previously climbed famous landmarks across Europe and Asia.

"The incident underscores how social media-driven stunts continue to test legal limits while attracting global attention."

Thus, Business Fortune is of the view that the Empire State Building climb highlights how viral stunts continue testing legal boundaries despite global attention.

FAQs

What happened during the Empire State Building climb?

Two rooftop climbers scaled the building's antenna spire, displayed a banner and were later arrested.

Who are the climbers arrested?

The climbers were Angela Nikolau and Ivan (Vanya) Beerkus, well-known rooftop adventurers.

Why did the couple climb the Empire State Building?

The stunt ended with Beerkus proposing to Nikolau, with the engagement later confirmed on Instagram.

What message was displayed on the banner?

The banner read, “When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace.”

What is rooftopping?

Rooftopping is the practice of illegally climbing tall structures without safety equipment to capture photos and videos.