The New York Police Department (NYPD) released bodycam footage on Wednesday afternoon of a daring stunt where a masked couple climbed the Empire State Building's spire and unfurled a banner.
The banner read: "When the power of love beats the love of power, the world knows peace." The stunt was reportedly a marriage proposal for the couple, who are identified as Ivan Kuznetsov, 32, and Angelina Nikolau, 33.
The couple accessed the spire by sneaking through a tiny hatch on the 102nd floor, where Kuznetsov got down on one knee and proposed to Nikolau. However, their romantic moment was short-lived as they both ended up in custody.
The couple has been charged with various crimes, including burglary, reckless endangerment, and criminal mischief. Their history of conducting similar stunts has raised concerns, as they have been previously featured in a documentary about climbing Malaysia's Merdeka 118 Tower, a 2,227-foot-tall structure.
The NYPD rushed in to take the couple into custody, and they did not resist arrest. The couple is now spending the first hours of their engagement in custody, awaiting their next court appearance.
