Russian climbers arrested after scaling Empire State antenna

Two Russian daredevil climbers were arrested on Wednesday, July 1, after scaling the antenna spire of New York City's Empire State Building, unfurling a peace banner, and staging a high-altitude marriage proposal. The incident occurred around noon at the iconic 1,454-foot skyscraper.

The climbers were identified by police as Angelina Nikolau, 33, and Ivan Kuznetsov, 32, who also go by the names Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus. Dressed in black and wearing masks, the pair ascended the antenna without safety tethers. At the summit, they displayed a large black-and-white banner bearing the message: "When the power of love beats the love of power, the world knows peace." After several minutes, they began their descent.

On a lower platform, Kuznetsov dropped to one knee and proposed. Nikolau accepted, and the couple embraced and kissed. She later posted images on social media showing what appeared to be an engagement ring against the Manhattan skyline. Officers from the New York Police Department's Emergency Services Unit climbed the antenna to intercept them. Body camera footage showed an officer greeting the couple and stating, "Well, you can't be up here." An off-camera voice...