#SkywalkersProposal is the hashtag for the 2 July 2026 stunt in which Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus — the Russian rooftopping couple starring in Netflix’s 2024 documentary “Skywalkers: A Love Story” — climbed the Empire State Building’s transmitter antenna, unfurled a “power of love” banner, staged an engagement and were arrested on their descent. It fused a viral proposal, an urban-explorer stunt and a felony arraignment into a single 24-hour news cycle.
Quick Facts
- Climbers: Angela Nikolau (33) and Ivan Kuznetsov / “Beerkus” (32), of East Orange, New Jersey
- Date: Wednesday, 2 July 2026
- Location: Empire State Building, transmitter antenna above the 104th floor
- Banner text: “When the power of love beats the love of power, the world knows peace”
- Charges: Burglary, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, criminal tampering, criminal trespass, possession of burglar’s tools, disorderly conduct, violation of local law
- Next court date: 24 August 2026 (Manhattan Criminal Court)
What Happened
Investigators believe the pair entered the Empire State Building the evening of 1 July, broke the lock on a security door on the 104th floor and used tools to loosen brackets that allowed them to access a stairwell to the transmitter antenna. In the early hours of 2 July they climbed to the top of the antenna, unfurled a peace banner and staged the proposal. NYPD took both into custody after they descended. Both appeared in Manhattan Criminal Court on 3 July, did not enter pleas, and were released on supervised release ahead of their next court date on 24 August.
The Climbers
Nikolau and Beerkus are among the best-known “rooftoppers” in the world — a subculture of urban climbers who scale skyscrapers, cranes and antennas for photography and film. They are the subjects of the 2024 Netflix documentary “Skywalkers: A Love Story,” which chronicled their six-year relationship and an illegal ascent of Kuala Lumpur’s Merdeka 118, the world’s second-tallest building.
Reactions
Coverage split into three lanes. Mainstream outlets — CNN, CBS News, ABC News, PBS NewsHour, TIME — reported it straight as a criminal breach of one of the most secure buildings in New York. Trade press including Deadline and industry-facing outlets framed it around the “Skywalkers” Netflix release. Outside Online and climbing outlets debated the ethics of celebrity urban exploration escalating into midtown Manhattan. The Empire State Building’s official social channels leaned into the story with tongue-in-cheek posts pointing out ground-level proposal options for future couples.
Aftermath
The stunt drove a large streaming spike for “Skywalkers: A Love Story” on Netflix, per Netflix Tudum coverage, and revived a decade-old debate about how U.S. media should cover rooftopping — a subculture whose most-shared content has repeatedly been criminal. On social media the clip of the banner unfurling became a template for July 4th-week peace-message posts, boosting variants of #Skywalkers, #EmpireStateSkywalkers and #SkywalkersProposal.
Variations & Related Tags
Related tags include #Skywalkers, #EmpireStateSkywalkers, #NikolauBeerkus and the broader #Rooftopping and #NewYorkCity conversations.
Sources
- https://www.cnn.com/2026/07/03/us/empire-state-building-climbers-stunt
- https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/empire-state-building-climbers-banner-nyc/
- https://time.com/article/2026/07/02/empire-state-building-climb-russian-couple/
- https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/an-audacious-climb-turned-into-a-marriage-proposal-the-couple-was-soon-arrested
- https://deadline.com/2026/07/empire-state-building-skywalkers-1236972496/
- https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/climbing/skywalkers-netflix-couple-arrested-empire-state-building/