Empire State Building Climbers Face Court Thursday

Two self-described "rooftopping" influencers who evaded security and free-climbed to the top of the Empire State Building's 1,454-foot spire are set to appear in court Thursday, a day after their stunt ended in a marriage proposal and multiple felony charges.

Climbers Reached the Spire Around Midday Wednesday

Angela Nikolau, 33, and Ivan Kuznetsov, 32 — who also goes by Ivan Beerkus — evaded security at the Manhattan landmark and climbed to the very top of its spire shortly before noon on Wednesday, July 1. Once there, according to an account of the stunt, the pair unfurled a black-and-white banner reading, "When the power of love beats the love of power, the world knows peace." Kuznetsov then produced a ring and proposed; Nikolau later posted a photo of the engagement ring set against the Manhattan skyline on Instagram.

Nikolau and Kuznetsov are not first-time climbers. The couple starred in the 2024 Netflix documentary Skywalkers: A Love Story, which follows their history of scaling skyscrapers around the world, largely without ropes or other safety equipment. Netflix declined to comment on Wednesday's incident.

NYPD's Emergency Service Unit Made the Rescue

NYPD officers responded with the department's Emergency Service Unit, whose members climbed ladders and used specialized extenders to reach the couple inside the spire structure and guide them back down. The two were taken into custody without incident just before 1 p.m. and later escorted out of a Midtown precinct. No injuries were reported.

Couple Faces Burglary and Reckless Endangerment Charges

Nikolau and Kuznetsov face a lengthy list of charges, including burglary, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, criminal tampering and criminal trespass. Under New York law, burglary does not require theft — it applies to entering or remaining in a building with intent to commit a crime, which prosecutors are applying here to the unauthorized climb itself. The pair are expected to appear before a judge Thursday.

Exactly how they bypassed building security to reach the restricted maintenance area near the spire has not been confirmed. Police are still reviewing surveillance footage from the observation deck to determine the couple's entry point.

Former FBI Official Warns of Copycat Risk

The stunt drew a sharp response from former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, who told CNN that the incident put city officials and the building's owners in what he called a "tough spot." He argued that prosecutors need to pursue the case firmly, warning that a lenient outcome could invite others to attempt similar climbs. McCabe called the danger involved "obvious" and said it could end in tragedy if left unchecked.

The case now turns on how Manhattan prosecutors handle a couple whose public brand is built on exactly the kind of unauthorized climb that just landed them in custody — and on whether Thursday's court appearance settles, or simply opens, the question of how they got past one of the city's most-watched buildings in the first place.