The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said it is monitoring the case of two Russian nationals arrested in New York after climbing the Empire State Building, amid the possibility that they could be deported after criminal charges were filed against them.
A spokesman for the ministry told the Russian news agency Novosti, commenting on the possibility of the pair being deported from the country: "The ministry is aware of the criminal charges against them," explaining that the detainees, Angelina Nikolau and Ivan Kuznetsov, are Russian citizens who entered the United States legally on January 8.
The two Russian adventurers, known in the world of high-rise building climbing (rovers), succeeded last Wednesday in breaching the security measures of the famous Empire State Building in New York, reaching the top spire, and raising a banner that read: "When the power of love triumphs over the love of power, the world knows peace," while the man proposed to his partner on the top of the building.
At a preliminary hearing held on Thursday, the prosecution leveled a package of charges against the Russian duo, including: deliberately attempting to endanger the lives of others, attempting to damage property, illegal trespassing, as well as climbing a high facility without authorization.
In response, the two defendants pleaded not guilty and refused to admit their guilt, while the court decided to release them without bail. Their defense attorney, Jason Krinsky, described the charges against his clients as "excessive and exaggerated."
New York police had spotted the intruders on the top of the tower at midday on Wednesday, before intervening to arrest Kuznetsov, 32, and Nikolau, 33, at 1:18 p.m. local time.
It is worth noting that the duo are widely known in the world of high-altitude climbing, and their most recent global appearance was through the famous documentary film shown on Netflix entitled (Skywalkers: A Love Story).
