Two people have recently scaled the Empire State Building in the widely reported July 2026 incident.

Quick Scoop

That specific climb involved 2 people who reached the top/spire, unfurled a banner, and were later taken into custody.

If you meant the total number of people ever to have scaled the Empire State Building, there does not appear to be a single widely accepted public tally in the sources I found, because “scaled” can mean different things and incidents are reported across many years.

What’s clear

  • Recent climb reported by multiple outlets: 2 people.
  • They were seen at the top of the building’s antenna/spire and later came down.
  • Police said the two were taken into custody.

Bottom line

For the latest reported incident, the answer is 2.