Empire State Building climbers: Who are the 'Skywalkers?'
Partner proposes on Empire State Building spire after climbing to raise flag
Two masked people climbed to the top of the Empire State Building in New York City and raised a flag promoting world peace in a stunning scene high above Manhattan. The moment took another unexpected turn when one of the climbers appeared to propose to the other on a spire platform. NYPD helicopters were seen near the climbers as officers responded to the building. Their identities and how they reached the top of the building were not immediately known.
NEW YORK - The climbers atop the Empire State Building caused quite the spectacle on Wednesday.
But who are they?
Dig deeper:
The man and woman who made a harrowing climb to the top of the Empire State Building in New York City took to their social media accounts to say they were the pair who climbed the building spire. Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus, both of whom were the main subjects of a 2024 Netflix documentary titled "Skywalkers: A Love Story."
Police have yet to confirm their identities.
What we know:
The incident, which took place around noon, quickly caught the eyes of onlookers below and sparked a frenzy on social media as footage circulated online.
Once they reached the top, the duo raised a flag that read, "When the power of love beats the love of power, the world knows peace."
The climbers began their descent around 12:30 p.m. before one of the climbers appeared to propose to the other on a spire platform. They continued climbing down just before 1 p.m.
The NYPD confirms that both individuals were taken into custody after helicopters swarmed the spire and officers climbed to the top themselves.
What we don't know:
It is still unknown how the climbers managed to reach the top of the building. Police say charges are pending, and an investigation is underway.
The backstory:
The couple participate in an activity known as "rooftopping."
This is basically just climbing structures without the use of safety equipment, similar to free-climbing.
Nikolau and Beerkus are reportedly the most famous "rooftoppers," according to a BBC report.
Their most famous climbing event was after they claimed to have illegally entered and climbed the second-tallest building in the world in December 2022, the BBC said.
The Source: Information for this article was taken from reporting by FOX 5 New York and previous reporting by the BBC. This story was reported from San Jose.