A daredevil couple was taken into custody Wednesday after allegedly scaling the Empire State Building’s 1,454-foot antenna.
Angela Nikolau, 33, and Ivan Beerkus, 32, reportedly climbed into a restricted area near the top of the landmark skyscraper. The stunt appeared to be staged for social media.
Photos and video posted online showed the pair high above New York City. In one clip, the city could be seen far below their feet.
Free will is a funny thing cuz why is this guy on top of the Empire State Building with a cape?flag? Why? pic.twitter.com/vhDc5KBviB
— JoezMcfly🇩🇴 (@JoezMcfLy) July 1, 2026
The couple also unfurled a banner that read, “when the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace.”
The message appears to be a slightly altered version of a quote often wrongly attributed to Jimi Hendrix. The line was actually spoken by 19th-century British politician William Gladstone.
The stunt also appeared to include a marriage proposal. Photos posted to Nikolau’s Instagram page showed Beerkus appearing to propose near the top of the skyscraper. Another image showed an engagement ring held up against the Manhattan skyline.
It was not immediately clear whether the pair bought tickets to the observation deck before the climb.
A source familiar with the incident told The Post that they accessed the spire through a hatch on the 102nd floor. The hatch is reportedly used for water tower maintenance.
The 102nd floor is open to visitors. However, the area is blocked off with mesh to prevent access to higher floors. The source said only one stairwell leads from that level toward the top of the structure.
Once the couple reached the 103rd floor, they allegedly broke through, the source claimed. The source also said the pair may have had inside information.
Nikolau describes herself online as a “neoartist exploring identity, fear & freedom.”
Her Instagram page features several high-risk rooftop photos with Beerkus. The couple has posed on famous structures around the world, including the Bay Bridge in San Francisco and Merdeka 118 in Kuala Lumpur, the second-tallest building in the world.
The couple’s account also says they were featured in the 2024 Netflix documentary “Skywalkers: A Love Story,” which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.
The Empire State Building has attracted climbers before.
In 1994, French climber Alain Robert, known as the “French Spider-Man,” climbed the building using only his hands and feet. He was arrested by the NYPD shortly afterward.
Wednesday’s stunt combined danger, romance and social media spectacle.
It also ended with the couple in custody.
The story is still developing.
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So what possible punishment would they have? Could they have gotten permission from the building before doing this?