Angela Nikolau’s father alleges Empire State Building climb was a ‘performance,’ says couple already married - BERITAJA

The Empire State Building connection has been making the rounds connected the internet, and caller specifications person emerged about the daredevil mates aft they were released connected bail wrong 24 hours of their arrest. Angela Nikolau and Ivan Kuznetsov climbed to the apical of the 102-story Empire State Building successful Manhattan, New York, unfurling a emblem base a connection of emotion without information harnesses, tethers, aliases nets.

The mates are of Russian root but presently reside successful East Orange, New Jersey. They are well-known “rooftoppers” and were featured successful the Netflix documentary Skywalkers: A Love Story.

Father claimed the daredevil mates were already married

Father claimed that the mates who climbed the Empire State Building for a connection were performing. By: @angela_nikolau/ Instagram

Nikolau’s father, Dmitry Nikolau, told ABC News that the mates staged the connection arsenic a stunt and claimed they were already married. He described it arsenic a “performance” that progressive galore consequence factors.

There had been respective trespassing incidents astatine the building before, but thing for illustration this. Investigators judge the mates whitethorn person utilized a workers’ entranceway to bypass information screening aft watching labor who activity successful the building. Following the July 1 incident, the mates was charged pinch aggregate felonies successful Manhattan Criminal Court, including burglary and reckless endangerment, among different offenses. However, they were released without entering a plea.

During a proceeding connected Thursday, July 2, the judge said, “We will do supervised release. We will do it astatine a debased level.” The couple’s adjacent tribunal proceeding is scheduled for August 24.

The brace near the courtroom smiling and moreover kissed for the cameras, pinch Kuznetsov saying, “We emotion New York.”

Couple spent a nighttime successful the building earlier melodramatic proposal

The mates spent a nighttime astatine the Empire State Building earlier staging the proposal. By: @beerkus/ Instagram

Before climbing to the apical of the skyscraper, Nikolau and Kuznetsov reportedly spent the nighttime wrong the building, according to sources. A information camera captured them going done a hatch connected the 102nd level astatine about 5 a.m. connected Wednesday. The criminal title revenge by the territory lawyer stated that a fastener connected a doorway starring to the 104th floor, which provides entree to the building’s broadcast antenna, had been broken.

ABC News, citing sources, reported that the mates whitethorn person loosened the brackets to summation entree to the stairwell. The criminal title further alleged that the antenna “emits high-frequency power signals that are powerful capable to origin harm to the quality body,” making it an further information hazard.

The NYPD had to powerfulness down the antenna earlier officers could safely scope the couple. “How you doing? You can’t beryllium up here!” an serviceman could beryllium heard saying. Nikolau replied, “I’m OK.”

Defense lawyer supported couple’s actions

The couple’s lawyer said that they were conscionable trying to dispersed love. By: @angela_nikolau/ Instagram

Kuznetsov went down connected 1 knee and projected to Nikolau, who responded pinch a resounding “yes.” While speaking to detectives, he said that he wanted to do thing retired of the mean for the proposal.

Jason Krisky, an lawyer representing the couple, alleged that the territory lawyer had “overcharged” the case.

“They are trying to nonstop a message. As acold arsenic what I’ve seen, and I’m judge you person each seen, it was a connection of love. You know, that’s a bully thing,” he said.

The mates unfurled a achromatic banner pinch achromatic lettering that read, “When the powerfulness of emotion thumps the emotion of power, the world knows peace.”

They besides posted photos of the engagement ringing pinch the New York City skyline successful the background, on pinch close-up shots of their memorable infinitesimal connected societal media.