It’s all ‘Will you?’ and ‘I Do’ till cops race you to the top

Some couples book a candlelit dinner. Others pop the question on a beach at sunset. But Russian daredevils Angela Nikolau, 33, and Ivan Beerkus, 32 – stars of the 2024 documentary Skywalkers: A Love Story – believe love should always come with a breathtaking view.

So they scaled the 1,454-foot Empire State Building, climbed its 200-foot antenna and got engaged at the very top. The proposal was a soaring success. The escape plan, however, ended several hundred feet lower – in police custody.A sky-high proposalWhile tourists admired the view from the 102nd floor, the duo sneaked through a restricted maintenance hatch leading to the 103rd floor—a space meant for water tanks, not wedding plans. From there, they climbed the building’s 200-foot telecommunications antenna and spent around 10 minutes perched on a tiny wind-battered platform while unfurling a giant peace banner.

Then came the big moment. Beerkus dropped to one knee, Nikolau removed her face mask, accepted the ring, and the couple sealed the moment with a kiss.

Till arrest do us partThe romantic high came to an abrupt halt when the New York Police Department arrived. Body-camera footage captured the moment when an officer climbed a ladder to meet the rooftop romantics and said, “Hello, how you doing? Can you just stay where you are? You can’t be up here.”

Once safely back on ground, the newly engaged couple was arrested and charged with burglary, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, trespass and disorderly conduct.

An Empire State Building spokesperson assured that the stunt posed no danger to visitors on the observation deck below—but couldn’t resist a perfectly timed jab, reminding everyone that the landmark already offers plenty of legal, practical and significantly less arrest-worthy ways to plan a memorable proposal.