Empire State Climbers Charged After ‘Extreme Risk-Taking Behavior’
Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus, extreme climbers who have illegally scaled buildings around the world, were arrested after getting engaged atop the Manhattan landmark.
Two people who illegally ascended the needle of the Empire State Building on Wednesday trespassed onto the Manhattan landmark overnight and broke into several restricted areas before making their climb, according to a criminal complaint made public on Thursday in criminal court.
The couple, Angela Nikolau, 33, and Ivan Beerkus, 32, unfurled a banner with a message about love and got engaged as news helicopters whirled around them. Then they were arrested by the police .
They were arraigned on Thursday in criminal court on multiple charges, including burglary and reckless endangerment.
According to prosecutors, Mr. Beerkus, who is identified in court documents as Ivan Kuznetsov, told the police he wanted to “do something special for his engagement.”
For Ms. Nikolau and Mr. Beerkus, who live in East Orange, N.J., their stunt in Midtown Manhattan was not their first terrifying ascent.
