Two folks are actually in NYPD custody after climbing to the highest of the Empire State Constructing, the place they unfurled a big banner atop the long-lasting Manhattan landmark.
The damaging trespassing stunt gave the impression to be an act of affection.
Police obtained 911 calls round 12 p.m. Wednesday, when the death-defying duo have been first noticed 1,454 ft within the air on the highest of the constructing’s antenna. Each have been wearing black clothes and face coverings.
The trespassing duo mounted the banner with massive white lettering to the antenna: “When the facility of affection beats the love of energy, the world is aware of peace.”
After roughly half-hour atop the tower, the pair started climbing down the spire and onto a platform the place they embraced. One of many trespassers appeared to suggest to the opposite.
Roughly 10 minutes later, they started descending the remainder of the spire.
The NYPD is wanting into whether or not the 2 people atop the constructing are the identical pair behind a documentary referred to as “Skywalkers: A Love Story,” displaying them pull off comparable stunts on skyscrapers throughout the globe.
The so-called rooftopping documentary follows the couple Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus. The 2 are Russian nationals who usually are filmed climbing buildings with little to no security tools.
Neither Nikolau nor Beerkus have a recognized felony historical past in New York Metropolis.
It wasn’t clear how the pair gained entry to the antenna, which rises nicely above public areas of the 102-story constructing.
A spokesperson for the Empire State Constructing referred to as Wednesday’s incident “unauthorized.”
The constructing appeared to stay open in the course of the incident. An worker informed NBC New York she couldn’t work out how the climbers managed to get to the highest of the landmark.
“I do not know the way — at first I assumed they tried to scale the surface of the constructing. However we’d have heard about that,” an worker named Sydney mentioned.
The Related Press contributed to this reporting.
