Couple scale Empire State Building with protest banner before proposal
A pair of masked daredevils climbed to the top of the Empire State Building with a protest banner on Wednesday, before one dropped to a knee for a dramatic proposal.
Angela Nikolau, 33, and Vanya Beerkus, 32, a Russian couple who have starred in a Netflix documentary, scaled the spire of the New York City landmark, which reaches a staggering 1,454 feet.
As they clung on, the daredevils flew a banner which read: 'When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace.'
The message appeared to be a modified quote from British politician William Gladstone, and is often misattributed to the rock star Jimi Hendrix.
After flying the banner at around noon, the climbers began to descend just after 12.30pm, before reaching a lower platform where Beerkus dropped down to one knee and proposed.
Nikolau appeared to say 'Yes' to the astonishing proposal, as a helicopter circling the building captured the couple embracing and they removed their masks to share a kiss. The influencer posted a video of herself on top of the Empire State Building at around midday.
The stunt couple, who are known for climbing skyscrapers, starred in the 2024 Netflix documentary Skywalkers: A Love Story.
A pair of masked daredevils were spotted climbing to the very top of the Empire State Building in New York City on Wednesday
A daredevil influencer, Angela Nikolau, posts herself scaling tall buildings while donning a black cat face covering. She is often videoed with musician Vanya Beerkus
After they began their descent at around 12.30pm, Beerkus proposed to Nikolau on a lower deck of the spire, and she appeared to say yes as the pair embraced and shared a kiss
Nikolau has posted herself scaling tall buildings and performing hair-raising acts while donning a black cat face covering.
She is often videoed and pictured atop the terrifyingly tall buildings with musician Beerkus.
Nikolau posted a series of photos of the pair not long after the ordeal, including a photo of the proposal and her flashy new diamond ring.
The New York City Police Department were seen reporting to the scene and the pair were taken into custody at around 1pm, CBS News reported.
Sources told the outlet that the pair may faces charges including trespassing and reckless endangerment.
Tourists and onlookers were seen gazing up in astonishment at the scene unfolding above them, as the Empire State Building's observation deck was quickly cleared.
Julie Morris, who saw the scene unfold, told the outlet: 'We were right at the top. I could see two people open the gates - the mesh gates - they opened the gates, and they went up to the top.
'I just assumed they were allowed up there.'
On the street below the iconic building, police had taped off the area and closed the street.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
Join the discussionWould you ever risk your life for a proposal or a protest?
What's your view?
Nikolau posted a series of photos of the pair atop the Empire State Building, including a photo of the proposal and her flashy diamond ring
Nikolau shared a video of herself on top of the Empire State Building at around midday
As they were seen clinging to the building's spire, the pair flew a banner which read: 'When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace'
Tourists and onlookers were seen gazing up in astonishment at the scene unfolding above them, as the Empire State Building's observation deck was quickly cleared
The New York City Police Department seen responding to the scene and the couple were arrested at around 1pm
Uni students dump mountains of rubbish as they head home for summer
University students heading home for the summer holidays have dumped mounds of rubbish on the streets.
Some streets in Fallowfield, Manchester have been completely blocked off to cars by rubbish piles up to three metres high.
Many of the Manchester University students were leaving houses they have rented for the past year for the last time, and were asked by their council to put all rubbish in bins provided.
But with such a mass exodus of students, many moving on the same day, the bins soon became full.
Rubbish was therefore left strewn next to the containers and quickly stacked up into mountains of waste.
In places, there was so much rubbish, cars could not pass through the streets.
Home owners in the area, where Coronation Street-style terraced houses abound, said they were appalled by the students treating the roads 'like rubbish dumps'.
One said: 'The end of June is when most student tenancies end so they have to clear their stuff out.
Students leaving Manchester have left piles of rubbish in the streets
Most will be leaving houses they have rented for the past year, and ditching unwanted clutter to avoid taking it with them
Some of the backstreets were completely blocked off by rubbish spilling over from the bins
The large bins provided by the council were not large enough to contain all the material
'These houses are occupied by between four and six students each, and they generate an enormous amount of rubbish during their year here.
'Most don't clean up after themselves as they go along so when it's time for them to leave, they have a lot of rubbish to dispose of and it all ends up in the lanes around our homes
'It's disgusting. It becomes a magnet for rats.
'It's surprising how much rubbish a student can accumulate and it all gets dumped on our doorsteps.'
Manchester City Council was approached for comment.
