Two masked individuals brought midday traffic to a standstill in New York City on Wednesday afternoon after scaling the Empire State Building's transmission tower for a daring stunt that culminated in a surprise marriage proposal. The man and woman managed to bypass security around noon, climbing the historic structure to unfurl a banner before descending to a lower platform where they eventually got engaged in front of a hovering police helicopter.
The situation initially triggered a massive emergency response from local authorities. Onlookers milling about on the public observation deck below watched in bewilderment as the duo appeared hundreds of feet above them on the tower grating. Security swiftly cleared the tourist areas while the climbers secured themselves to the metal framework and revealed a black banner with white lettering reading 'When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace'.
