Russian extreme climbing couple climbs to the top of the Empire State Building and displays banner with peace message

Identity of the climbers

The two held onto the antenna mast of the famous skyscraper. Over the metal construction, they made their way to a wider ledge. There, one person knelt down. According to the "New York Post," Beerkus dropped to one knee and proposed to Nikolau. She said yes. The two then kissed and embraced.

At roughly 443 meters in height, directly beneath the glowing red signal light at the top of the building, they unfurled a black banner. Written on it in white capital letters was a message flapping in the wind: "When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace" – in German: "Wenn die Macht der Liebe die Liebe zur Macht besiegt, dann weiss die Welt, was Frieden ist". According to their own statements, they wanted to set a sign for world peace.

The message on the banner

The quote is frequently attributed to the US musician Jimi Hendrix, who died in 1970. According to "ABC7," however, the saying originally comes from 19th-century British politician William Gladstone.

The action had not been authorized, said a spokesperson for the Empire State Building's management to the German Press Agency. With the help of the police, however, the situation could quickly be brought under control. There was no danger whatsoever to people in the building, nor was there ever any danger to tenants and visitors of the building. According to official information, there were no injuries.

Reaction of the authorities

A source for the "New York Post" reported that the duo had broken through a grating in the 102nd floor – a publicly accessible area. According to the US portal "TMZ," the two climbed onto the antenna. The two individuals were taken into temporary custody, police said. The freshly engaged couple was taken into custody without resistance shortly before 1:00 PM, while the observation deck was cleared of visitors as a precaution.

Footage from a helicopter showed the spectacle live. An NYPD helicopter also circled above the building. Around 12:30 PM, the two began to descend again. After about half an hour, the climbers began their descent. During the action, the two wore black clothing and masks; one of the individuals took selfies while holding up their left hand as if examining a ring.

Unclear access

As Fox News reported on Twitter/X, at the time of publication it was unclear how the couple had reached the top of the building. There were also initially no confirmed details about the identities of the two. Corresponding charges from the New York Police are still pending.

The Empire State Building is 1,454 feet (roughly 443 meters) tall and is one of the most famous skyscrapers in the world. The incident occurred on July 1, 2026 around midday local time and quickly attracted attention on social media, including through live footage from helicopters.

According to reports, the couple got engaged at the top of the Empire State Building. Regarding the motives of the two and any possible connection to the peace message, there were initially no further statements from official sources. The police investigation is ongoing.