What seemed like a completely inexplicable act now has its protagonists.
Authorities and various media outlets identified the couple who illegally climbed the antenna of the Empire State Building in New York this Wednesday, where they unfurled a banner with a message of peace and staged an unexpected marriage proposal.
They are Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus, two famous Russian “rooftoppers” known worldwide for climbing skyscrapers and extreme structures without safety equipment. Their dangerous feats were even portrayed in the Netflix documentary Skywalkers: A Love Story.
During the ascent, the couple reached the very top of the iconic building, about 443 meters (1,454 feet) above street level. There they unfurled a sign with the phrase: “When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world knows peace”.
When they began descending toward a lower platform, the moment that surprised everyone happened: Ivan got down on one knee and proposed to Angela in front of TV cameras and helicopters following the scene from the air. She accepted, and the two embraced while remaining suspended above New York.
Shortly after completing the maneuver, the couple were arrested by police and taken into custody while authorities investigate how they managed to access a completely restricted area of the Empire State Building.
As was to be expected, the images completely divided social media. While some described the proposal as one of the most impressive ever seen, others criticized them for putting their lives at risk and mobilizing emergency crews solely to create content.
Watch the video here: