Couple who staged apparent proposal atop Empire State Building faces slew of charges | New York
Two Russian “roofers” apparently staged a marriage proposal at the top of the Empire State Building’s spire reportedly He was arraigned in New York on Thursday on a number of charges, including reckless endangerment.
Angela Nikolau and Ivan Kuznetsov were arrested on Wednesday after a demonstration in which the couple dressed all in black, held up a peace banner and kissed.
They spent the first night of their reported engagement in separate cells near lower Manhattan’s New York City criminal court; They were scheduled to appear in court here Thursday at 9 a.m. EST on charges of burglary, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, criminal trespass, criminal tampering, disorderly conduct and possession of burglar’s tools.
Nikolau, 33, and Kuznetsov, 32, also known as Ivan Beerkus, are Russian citizens who share the same address in New Jersey, records show. They are leading practitioners of the underground thrill-seeking activity of “rooftoping,” in which self-styled city thugs climb skyscrapers and other tall buildings to take breathtaking photos and videos or make political statements.
Kuznetsov’s Instagram account @beerkusHe has over half a million followers, while his partner’s 1.8 million.
The duo, who are said to have embarked on similar adventures in China and California, reached the 443-metre (1,454 ft) summit of the Empire State Building at lunchtime on Wednesday, then unfurled a large black flag that read: “When the power of love conquers the love of power, the world knows peace.”
Investigators are trying to determine how the duo climbed the final stages of the landmark building, which opened as the world’s tallest building in 1931 and was featured in the climax of the blockbuster movie King Kong two years later.
The duo’s demonstration was monitored by a New York Police Department drone and helicopter, and they were arrested by members of the department’s elite emergency services unit, which specializes in rescue at height.
The owners of the Empire State Building said in their statement that they prefer couples who are in love and want to get engaged to follow a more orthodox path.
“It should be emphasized that the Empire State Building Observation Deck, located atop the World’s Most Famous Building in the heart of New York City, offers the following amenities: A practical way for the most unforgettable marriage proposalsThe statement said:
