Angela Nikolau, 33, and Ivan Beerkus, 32, climbed the Empire State Building in black masks, hung a banner, and later proposed on the descent, posting evidence on Instagram. After a Manhattan judge granted supervised release, they left court and shared a long k
A summer that’s felt short on romance got a jolt on July 2, 2026—right as the 250th birthday of the United States was closing in. Two climbers dressed in black made the Empire State Building feel less like a landmark and more like a stage.
Angela Nikolau, 33, and Ivan Beerkus, 32, climbed to the top wearing masks, with Nikolau’s mask featuring cat ears. At the summit, they hung a flag and then began the trip back down to a metal landing. While descending, Beerkus got on one knee as if the height itself wasn’t enough of a backdrop.
Nikolau posted a photo on Instagram showing her engagement ring-clad hand from the spire. The couple—originally from Russia—are known on social media for climbing dangerous things and were featured in the Netflix documentary “Skywalkers: A Love Story.” Their flag carried the message. “when the power of love beats the love of power. the world knows peace. ” a line that drew plenty of eye-rolls from onlookers even as the gesture kept its hold on the moment.
The legal part of the story didn’t disappear once the proposal landed.
Nikolau and Beerkus were arrested and charged with a variety of felonies—felony burglary, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief—and also misdemeanor counts of possession of burglar’s tools, criminal tampering, criminal trespass, and disorderly conduct.
On Thursday morning, they left a courthouse in lower Manhattan dressed in black—Nikolau in a tight bodysuit. On the stairs of the subway, they stopped for a long kiss in front of the news cameras. The sequence matters because it links two worlds that rarely overlap cleanly: a romantic act staged above New York and the courtroom outcome that set them back on the streets under conditions.
On Wednesday, a Manhattan judge granted the alleged Empire State Building climbers supervised release. Before descending subway stairs. they shared a massive kiss. captured in a post shared with the story. with the text saying. “Breaking: A Manhattan judge granted the alleged Empire State Building climbers supervised release… and they shared a massive kiss before descending the subway stairs. Story coming @Gothamist.”.
The proposal. the banner. the ring photo—those details are the kind people replay when they want a summer romance to feel real. But the case itself has never been only about romance. And set against other viral love stories—like the Coldplay kisscam couple that turned into career and personal chaos through internet mob mentality—this one reads like a rarer reversal: fewer visible casualties. yet still a serious set of charges.
The contrast has an edge that doesn’t fade. The Boston Globe reported last week that the woman involved in the Coldplay kisscam scandal said she has still been unable to find a new job after resigning from her HR position. and is dipping into her kids’ college funds and retirement money to get by. That earlier fallout is part of why the Empire State Building moment sticks: the same public eye that can punish can also turn a stunt into a feel-good scene.
In the Empire State Building case. Nikolau and Beerkus are now back in public view with supervised release in place. their engagement announcement posted from the spire and their goodbye-kiss staged on subway stairs after leaving court. For some, it’s the summer romance they’d been missing. For everyone watching. it’s also a reminder that even the most sweeping gestures can come with a legal shadow that follows you down.
Empire State Building Angela Nikolau Ivan Beerkus supervised release proposal Instagram felony charges reckless endangerment New York courts Russia climbers Skywalkers: A Love Story
So they got released and still did the whole stunt thing? That’s wild.
Not gonna lie the proposal was kinda sweet? But the felonies part is making my head spin. Like how is supervised release even a thing if they’re still climbing buildings in masks.
I think they only did it because of the 250th birthday thing, like the government invited them or something? Also that quote on the flag is cringe, but I guess peace sells. Where did they even get the ring if they’re dressed like villains the whole time lol.
Angela Nikolau cat ears mask… ok so are we just ignoring that they were arrested for all those crimes? They’re famous from Netflix so suddenly everyone acts like it’s romantic. I swear the article says “sequence matters” but I’m not seeing how kissing on the subway makes it less dangerous.