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what happened to the people on the empire state building

The “people on the Empire State Building” you’re seeing in the latest clips are a daredevil couple who climbed all the way up to the spire, unfurled a banner, got engaged, and were then taken into police custody.

Quick Scoop: What Actually Happened

Recently, two climbers illegally scaled the very top of the Empire State Building’s spire—above the regular observation decks—and spent several minutes standing on a tiny platform almost 1,450 feet over Midtown Manhattan.

  • They were dressed in black and climbed onto the antenna/spire at the top of the building.
  • While up there, they unfurled a peace-themed banner with a message about love and power and world peace.
  • The man then proposed marriage to the woman on that tiny ledge, and she said yes, turning the stunt into a dramatic rooftop engagement.
  • After several minutes, they came down and were taken into custody by NYPD officers who had climbed up with safety gear to meet them.

Authorities and the building’s management have stressed that there was no danger to visitors or tenants inside the building itself, and the incident was resolved without injury.

Who Are These People?

News outlets have identified the pair as Angela Nikolau and a partner reported under several spellings (often Ivan Kuznetsov or Vanya/Vanya Beerkus), both known online for “rooftopping” and extreme skyscraper climbs.

  • They already had a reputation for high-risk urban climbing and posting dramatic photos and videos from the tops of tall buildings.
  • This Empire State Building stunt is consistent with their previous extreme-climb persona, but crossed an obvious legal line in New York City.

From a “forum gossip / trending topic” angle, a lot of discussion revolves around whether this was a romantic gesture, a protest, or just clout-chasing for social media—most likely a mix of all three.

What Happened to Them After the Climb?

The key point: they were arrested , not hurt.

Once they descended:

  • NYPD Emergency Service Unit officers met them on the spire with harnesses and safety gear and took them into custody just before 1 p.m. local time.
  • They were escorted to a precinct in Midtown Manhattan.
  • Police and news reports say they face multiple charges, including burglary, reckless endangerment, criminal trespass, criminal tampering, criminal mischief, and violation of local laws.

So in short:

  • They survived the climb.
  • They got engaged at the top.
  • Then they got arrested and are now dealing with legal fallout rather than physical injury.

Was Anyone Else in Danger?

From official statements and reports: no other visitors or tenants were put in direct danger.

Building representatives and police have emphasized:

  • The observation decks remained safe and open; the climbers accessed a locked maintenance hatch on the 102nd-floor deck to reach restricted areas.
  • The structure of the building was not compromised, and the incident was handled in coordination with law enforcement.

However, officials clearly view this kind of stunt as extremely risky—for the climbers, for potential rescuers, and for public safety—hence the serious charges.

Wider Context: Past Empire State Building Incidents

Because your question is broad—“what happened to the people on the Empire State Building”—it sometimes gets mixed online with earlier historical events around the same building. Two that often come up in discussions:

  1. 1945 B‑25 bomber crash into the building
    • A US Army Air Forces B‑25 bomber accidentally crashed into the north side of the Empire State Building in thick fog on July 28, 1945.
 * Fourteen people were killed (three on the plane and eleven inside the building), and around twenty to twenty-four others were injured.

 * Despite the damage, the building’s structural integrity remained sound.
  1. 2012 shooting near the Empire State Building
    • A fired clothing designer shot and killed a former colleague near the building before being killed by police.
 * Nine bystanders were wounded by bullets, some likely from police gunfire; all were expected to survive.

Those are separate tragedies often mentioned when people ask broadly about “people at the Empire State Building,” but they are not part of the current climbing/engagement incident.

Mini FAQ (Forum-Style)

Did anyone fall or die in this latest Empire State Building incident?
No. The climbers completed their stunt, came down, and were taken into custody. No injuries were reported.

Was this allowed by the building?
No. The building called it an “unauthorized incident” and pointed out they offer official proposal packages instead of illegal climbs.

Why did they do it?
Publicly, the stunt combined a peace-themed banner, a dramatic proposal, and their usual extreme-climber image—likely aiming for attention and impact across social media and news.

SEO-style Meta Note

  • Focus keyword: what happened to the people on the empire state building – They were daredevil climbers who scaled the spire, unfurled a peace banner, got engaged, and were then arrested without anyone being injured.

Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.