Midtown tourists looking for skyline views on Wednesday wound up getting a side of high-altitude drama instead, when two people climbed the Empire State Building's spire around noon and unfurled a black banner that read, "When the power of love beats the love of power, the world knows peace." News helicopters and crowds on the streets below watched as the pair clung to the needlelike transmission tower high above the observation decks, prompting a heavy police response and briefly disrupting normal sightseeing at the landmark.
Banner and timeline
Images from a news helicopter showed the two holding a black flag with white lettering, according to NBC New York. The outlet reported that the pair remained clinging to the spire around midday. Early coverage did not clarify whether the climb was intended as a protest or some other kind of stunt.
How authorities responded
Chopper and street-level video shared by local outlets suggested the pair appeared to be a man and a woman wearing masks, while an NYPD helicopter moved into the area and officers staged nearby, as reported by CBS New York. CBS reported that one of the climbers briefly descended before returning to the top of the structure, and that both began to come down around 12:35 p.m. People on the 86th-floor observation deck watched from relatively close range as the scene played out overhead.
Where they climbed and how high that is
The Empire State Building reaches 1,454 feet at its tip when you include the antenna, while its top floors and observation decks sit more than 1,200 feet above the street, according to the landmark's fact sheet at the Empire State Building. Visitors on the 86th and 102nd floors routinely get sweeping views of the city, which makes the spire an especially dramatic and exposed place for anyone who manages to reach it. How the two climbers got access to the transmission tower was not clear in initial reports.
Potential legal exposure
The climb likely exposed the pair to potential charges under New York's trespass laws. Unlawfully entering or remaining on another person's property can be prosecuted as trespass or criminal trespass, offenses that range from violations to misdemeanors depending on the circumstances. Penalties and charging decisions can shift with the degree of the trespass and any related public-safety concerns. For an overview of the relevant statutes, see a summary of New York Penal Law Article 140 at Tilem & Associates.
What initial reports did and did not show
Initial local coverage did not identify any arrests or a group claiming responsibility, and there was no immediate public statement from Empire State Building management in early reporting. Live coverage from NBC New York did not report any arrests at the time. Officials may release further details as any investigation moves forward.
