Two people scaled the Empire State Building in New York on Wednesday afternoon, climbing high onto one of the world's most famous skyscrapers and setting off a large police response below. News crews were live as the pair were spotted at the very top of the building, roughly 1,454 feet above the ground, on the tower's uppermost tier.
The climb itself took the two up the spire, a section that rises 204 feet on its own. Reaching the top, they unfurled a flag that carried a message, one that could be read as political in nature. The flag read: when the power of love beats the love of power, the world knows peace.
After displaying the flag, the pair began to make their way back down. They descended part of the way, reaching a utility platform partway down the structure, where the situation took an unexpected turn that surprised those watching from below and on live television.
From the vantage point of the cameras, what happened next appeared to be a marriage proposal. One of the climbers got down on a knee on the platform, turning a daring and unlawful stunt into a personal moment played out at a dizzying height above Midtown Manhattan.
On the ground, the incident forced a significant response. The building's observation tower was evacuated, with tourists who had been waiting to ascend cleared from the area. Streets around the landmark were closed, including along Fifth Avenue near 35th Street, where traffic was blocked as authorities managed the scene.
Police and fire crews worked the site as the climbers made their way down. The pair were ultimately taken into custody, with authorities confirming the two were in custody as crews worked to bring them the rest of the way to the ground. They were expected to face charges over the climb, which sent a jolt through one of New York City's busiest districts and left crowds packing all four corners of 34th Street and Fifth Avenue to watch.