On July 1, 2026, Russian urban climbers Angela Nikolau and Ivan Kuznetsov scaled the **Empire State Building> without authorization, climbing beyond the public 102nd-floor observation deck to reach the building’s restricted spire, approximately 1,454 feet (443 meters) above Manhattan.

At the summit, the pair unfurled a black banner reading:

“When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace.”

Moments later, Kuznetsov proposed to Nikolau, who accepted, with the couple embracing atop one of the world’s most iconic skyscrapers. The dramatic engagement, filmed high above New York City, quickly went viral across social media.

Authorities responded by temporarily closing streets around the building while officers monitored the situation. After the pair safely descended, the New York City Police Department took them into custody.

Prosecutors charged the climbers with multiple offenses, including burglary, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, criminal tampering, criminal trespass, and disorderly conduct.

Nikolau and Kuznetsov are well known in the urban climbing, or “rooftopping,” community for scaling skyscrapers, cranes, and other structures around the world without safety equipment, documenting their exploits for millions of online followers. While their previous climbs have attracted significant attention, the proposal atop the Empire State Building became one of their most widely shared moments.