what law did the people that climbed the empire stat ebuilding break?

They likely broke New York City trespass and safety laws by climbing the exterior of the Empire State Building without authorization. Reports say potential charges include criminal trespass , reckless endangerment , criminal mischief , and related local-law violations, and the NYC code makes unauthorized climbing of a structure like that a misdemeanor.

What that means

• Criminal trespass : entering or remaining somewhere they were not allowed to be.
• Reckless endangerment : doing something that created a serious risk to others or themselves.
• Criminal mischief / local-law violations : possible added charges tied to the stunt and building rules.

In plain English

The core issue is that scaling the building without permission is illegal in New York City, and the Empire State Building specifically does not allow that kind of climb.

Context

News reports from July 1, 2026 say the pair were taken into custody after reaching the top, unfurling a banner, and appearing to get engaged.