who are the people on the empire state building

Who were the people seen on top of the Empire State Building?

The two people spotted on the Empire State Building’s spire on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, were identified by multiple news outlets as Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus (also reported as Ivan Kuznetsov in some sources), a Russian daredevil couple known for high-risk “rooftopping” climbs around the world.

What happened on the building?

• The pair climbed to the very top of the 1,454‑ft (443‑m) spire, wearing masks and black clothing.

• At the pinnacle, they unfurled a large banner that read:

“When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace.”

• After descending slightly to a small platform on the spire, one of them got down on one knee and proposed , showing a ring; they kissed before climbing back down.

• They remained on the structure for about 10 minutes while police helicopters circled and officers eventually reached them.

• Both were taken into custody without incident ; charges were pending as of early reports.

Who are Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus?

• They are professional “rooftoppers” —climbers who scale skyscrapers and tall structures, often illegally and without safety gear.

• The couple gained international attention for climbs on some of the world’s tallest buildings and have a large online following.

• They were the subjects of the 2024 Netflix documentary Skywalkers: A Love Story , which follows their relationship and extreme climbing stunts.

• Multiple reports say they live in New York and have previously climbed iconic structures globally.

Why is this attracting so much attention?

This incident quickly became a trending news story because:

• It involved a high-profile landmark in the middle of Manhattan.

• The engagement proposal at 1,450+ feet added a dramatic, viral human-interest angle.

• Their peace-themed banner and history of daredevil climbs fueled forum and social media discussion about risk, romance, and spectacle.

TL;DR: The people on the Empire State Building were Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus, a famous daredevil couple known from the Netflix doc Skywalkers: A Love Story. They climbed the spire, displayed a peace banner, and got engaged at the top before being arrested.

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