NEW YORK — The couple who climbed to the top of an antenna on the Empire State Building are now facing felony charges in connection to the stunt.
Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus appeared in court for their arraignment on Thursday, a day after what appeared to be an engagement proposal, The Associated Press reported.
They are charged with felony reckless endangerment, burglary and other charges. The charging documents use their formal names, Angelina Nikolau and Ivan Kuznetsov.
Their lawyer said they were “overcharged” and only put themselves at risk, the Times reported.
Beerkus (Kuznetsov) said he wanted to “do something special” for their engagement, the AP reported.
They are known for their scaling of skyscrapers and their story was shared in the documentary “Skywalkers: A Love Story,” The New York Times reported.
Officials said the couple created a danger by climbing up the antenna on July 1, 1,454 feet above New York City.
They rolled out a banner which read “When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace.” They then climbed down to a ledge where Beerkus apparently asked Nikolau to marry him. She then posted photos of the ring, along with other images high above the city, on her social media account.
Police had to wait about half an hour for the antenna to be powered down before Emergency Services Unit officers climbed up. They met the couple as they climbed down.
Officials said in the court complaint that they found a broken lock on a security door on the 104th floor. That floor is not normally accessible to the public and requires a key card to access higher than the 102nd floor.
The couple was released without bail with a court date set for next month.
They live in East Orange, N.J., but are from Russia, The New York Times reported.
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