[A view of the Empire State Building. Photo Credit: Pixabay]

Two Russian rooftoppers were arrested after illegally scaling the Empire State Building’s antenna and staging a marriage proposal using the 1,454-foot-high platform.

Around noon on Wednesday, July 1, New York police received 911 calls reporting that two masked individuals dressed in black had been spotted near the top of the Empire State Building’s antenna.

The two climbers, Angelina Nikolau, 33, and Ivan Kuznetsov, 32, raised a black banner that read, “When the power of love beats the love of power, the world knows peace,” according to ABC News. 

The couple remained on the tower for approximately 30 minutes before moving down to another level on the antenna, where Kuznetsov is believed to have proposed marriage to Nikolau.

NYPD officers with the Emergency Service Unit waited 30 minutes for the broadcast equipment on the antenna to be turned off before ascending the tower to confront the duo as they descended.

The following day, Nikolau and Kuznetsov, whose online pseudonym is Ivan Beerkus, were charged with felony burglary, first-degree reckless endangerment, second-degree criminal mischief, along with other misdemeanor counts, according to the criminal complaint. 

The charges are not eligible for bail under New York law, and the pair is due back in court August 24, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office said.

Both entered not-guilty pleas and were released under court supervision. 

Their charges are not eligible for bail under New York law, so they must appear in court on August 24, for further updates on the situation. 

Defense counsel, Jason Krinsky, commented right after the arraignment that the prosecution had overreacted by overcharging the case, considering the stunt nothing more than a message of love. 

“We love New York,” Kuznetsov told reporters as the newly engaged couple exited the courthouse, ABC News reported.

Nikolau and Kuznetsov are globally recognized as “rooftoppers.” 

This term refers to individuals who climb skyscrapers and other high-rise buildings, sometimes even without a safety harness, to photograph themselves at incredible heights. 

Nikolau and Kuznetsov had already established their reputation as climbers prior to Wednesday’s stunt. 

A 2024 Netflix documentary, “Skywalkers: A Love Story,” followed the couple as they illegally scaled Malaysia’s Merdeka 118 (then the world’s second tallest building) along with earlier climbs across Europe and Asia.

Photos and videos from Nikolau’s Wednesday morning climb were shared on Nikolau’s Instagram, including one photo of the newly acquired diamond engagement ring with New York City’s skyline in the background. 

A spokesperson for the Empire State Building said in a statement that the climb posed no danger to tenants, visitors, or guests on the building’s official observation deck.

The iconic building has been the site of marriage proposals done legally before. 

On November 9, 2023, Hollywood actor and musician Jared Leto climbed up to the base of the antenna from the 86th floor of the Empire State Building to announce his concert tour.

As of now, Nikolau and Kuznetsov are free until their next court hearing. 

Their proposal, carried out 1,454 feet above Midtown Manhattan, has become one of the most controversial engagements of the year, although they could spend years in jail for their efforts.