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NEW YORK – Two masked people managed to climb to the top of the Empire State Building in New York City on Wednesday, July 1, to unfurl a banner with a message of love.The identities of the individuals were not immediately known, but the banner they flew from the building reads, "When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace."At 12:35 p.m. ET, the two individuals began to descend the building in Manhattan, CBS News reported.The New York Police Department on social media confirmed that officers responded to the scene and shut down several streets near 5th Avenue and 34th Street.Counting the spire and antenna, the Empire State Building, at 1,454 feet, is the fourth-tallest building in the city, and the sixth-tallest in the United States, according to an online fact sheet. When reached by USA TODAY, the NYPD said the two individuals involved in the incident had been taken into custody.It was not immediately known what charges they may face.'Oh, my God. He proposed up there'New York resident Stephanie Hazlewood, who works on the building's fourth floor, told USA TODAY she learned about the incident from a co-worker who sent her a livestream of the footage."One of my co-workers was like, 'Oh my God. He proposed up there,'" Hazelwood recalled.The NYPD could not immediately confirm to USA TODAY whether the pair got engaged.Hazelwood said she thought the pair were simply performance artists."But I don’t really know exactly what it is," Hazelwood said. "It just seems like an attention thing and art, maybe."Hector Alvarez, who also witnessed the scene, said he was in awe at the couple's actions."They kind of looked like ninjas," Alvarez told USA TODAY.Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.
