Couple Proposes Atop Empire State Building Antenna, Faces Arrest and Charges

A couple stunned New York City last Wednesday by climbing to the top of the Empire State Building's antenna to propose marriage, only to be arrested by the New York Police Department's elite unit. Angela Nicolaou, 33, and Ivan Kuznetsov, 32, both known urban climbers, bypassed a locked maintenance hatch on the 102nd floor and ascended to the antenna peak, approximately 443 meters above the streets. There, without safety harnesses, they unfurled a large sign quoting Jimi Hendrix and British politician William Gladstone: "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace."

The proposal moment occurred as Kuznetsov knelt and presented a ring to an emotional Nicolaou on a lower platform hundreds of meters above the city. Meanwhile, NYPD officers from the Emergency Service Unit had climbed into the spire and intercepted the couple during their descent around 1 p.m., arresting them in handcuffs. The pair now face serious criminal charges including breaking and entering, reckless endangerment, trespassing, and possession of burglary tools. Safety experts warned the stunt was extremely hazardous due to the height and the active electrical and broadcast equipment on the antenna.

An Empire State Building spokesperson called the incident an "unauthorized event," noting the building offers an official, safe $1,000 marriage proposal package on the 86th floor. Nicolaou's father, a Russian circus artist, defended the couple's actions as normal, citing his own rooftop climbing experience. The couple joins a short list of daredevils who have scaled the landmark, such as French climber Alain Robert and actor Jared Leto, though Leto had official permission. This time, the adventure ended with legal consequences in Manhattan court.