Marriage proposal on Empire State Building spire ends in arrest VIDEO

Russian nationals Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus were taken into custody after climbing to the very top of Empire State Building, New York, where Beerkus appeared to propose to Nikolau, BBC reports.

The couple unfurled a large banner from the tip of the skyscraper’s spire that read: "When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace."

After descending to a lower platform on the tower, Beerkus dropped to one knee and presented a ring to Nikolau. The pair embraced and kissed before continuing their descent. They remained atop the 1,454-foot (443-meter) building for at least 10 minutes.

The two are known for performing high-risk rooftop stunts around the world and were featured in the 2024 documentary Skywalkers: A Love Story, released by Netflix.

The New York City Police Department confirmed that two individuals had been taken into custody. The couple faces charges including burglary, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, trespass and disorderly conduct.

A spokesperson for the building said the "unauthorized incident" posed no danger to tenants, visitors or guests on the observation deck below the spire. The spokesperson added: "It is to be emphasized that the Empire State Building Observation Deck, atop the World's Most Famous Building in the center of New York City, does offer a practical way for the most memorable marriage proposals."

Law enforcement sources said that preliminary information indicates the pair accessed the spire through a hatch on the building’s 103rd floor, an area used for water tower maintenance and not open to the public. Investigators are still determining how they moved from the publicly accessible 102nd floor to the restricted level above.

Shortly after midday, the couple began descending from the building’s 200-foot telecommunications antenna. They also posted updates on social media while at the summit. Nikolau shared a video showing the view from a small platform and a photograph that appeared to capture Beerkus proposing.

The NYPD later released body-camera footage showing an officer climbing a caged ladder to reach the pair. In the recording, the officer says: "Hello, how you doing? Can you just stay where you are? You can't be up here."

Nikolau responds by raising her arms and saying: "I'm OK." When officers ask what language they speak, she replies: "Russian."

By Vafa Guliyeva