Georgia Guidestones explosion - live: Memes of Trump bombing site spread before attack as suspect pictured

The hunt is still on in Georgia for the suspects who authorities say damaged the mysterious Guidestones monument in an explosion, which some online conspiracy theorists have called “an act of God”.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigations (GBI) told reporters that preliminary information suggests someone used an explosive device to damage the pillars on Wednesday morning.

A large portion of the structure was damaged and one part was completely destroyed, leading to the full demolition of the granite structure, the GBI said.

In CCTV footage released by authorities on Thursday, a person can be seen running from the scene of the Guidestones during the attack. No suspects have been identified or found however.

Despite being erected in 1980, the Guidestones are sometimes called “America’s Stonehenge” and consist of six granite slabs, each with an inscription in a different language. They have long been the subject of conspiracy theorists.

It is not yet known whether they will be rebuilt.

Key points

• Georgia landmark damaged as explosion heard in early hours

• Trump meme appeared online in days and weeks before attack

• ‘America’s Stonehenge’ built as calendar inscribed with guidelines for humanity

• Monument has fed into wild conspiracy theories and been called Satanic

• Authorities forced to demolish remainder of monument for safety reasons

Trump meme appeared before attack on Guidestones

13:06 , Gino Spocchia

Four days before the attack on the Georgia Guidestones, a meme showing former US president Donald Trump ‘bombing’ the monument reportedly appeared on Truth Social, his own social media platform.

The photoshopped image featuring Mr Trump appeared on Truth Social on 2 July – after it had already been shared on Twitter in the weeks before, the DailyDot found.

The meme is believed to have been associated with calls by Kandiss Taylor, a Trump-backed GOP candidate, to demolish the stones. She has said she does not support any vandalism however.

Here’s that meme:

GOP candidate pushes conspiracy about monument

12:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Two months before the attack on the Georgia Guidestones, the monument became a focus of a local GOP gubernatorial hopeful, Kandiss Taylor.

Ms Taylor called for the demolition of the monument in a campaign video, while also echoing other conspiracy theories such as former president Donald Trump‘s 2020 election lie.

On Wednesday, she said the stones were “satanic” and welcomed their demoliton on an apparent ‘act of God’.

Here’s that tweet:

Local chamber of commerce ‘saddened’ by destruction

12:00 , Oliver O'Connell

The Elbert Chamber of Commerce has said it was “saddened” by the apparent attack on the Georgia Guidestones, which was both a local landmark and a popular tourist spot.

“The Elbert County Chamber of Commerce was saddened to learn of the apparent intentional destruction of our most frequently visited community attraction, the Georgia Guidestones,” the group said.

“Over the years, the Guidestones have created lots of discussion and brought visitors to Elbert County from all over the world. Whatever your personal opinion on the Guidestones is, this attack is bad for our community. We hope that whomever is responsible is apprehended and brought to justice.”

Chris Kubas, the vice president of the Elbert Granite Association which has responsibility for the stone monument, has said local officials and community leaders will have to work out if the Guidestones are restored.

The community will also have to consider who would repay for their reconstruction, should that happen.

“If you didn’t like it, you didn’t have to come see it and read it,” Mr Kubas said to NPR. “But unfortunately, somebody decided they didn’t want anyone to read it.”

Message on stones are ‘instructions’ for humanity

11:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Many have claimed the messages on the slabs are instructions for the coming “new world order”.

The executive vice president of the association responsible for up keeping the monument has said the inscriptions on the panels were instructions “meant for a future population after a cataclysmic event”.

That included limiting the world population to 500 million, “guiding reproduction wisely”, and uniting “humanity with a living new language”.

Oliver O’Connell reports

What are the Georgia Guidestones and where did they come from?

Online videos propel lightning ‘act of God’ claims

09:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Online, known conspiracy theorists have shared their own beliefs about how the Georgia Guidestones monument was damaged, in what authorities have labelled an explosion.

At least one YouTube video seen by The Independent suggested the explosion was “an act of God” rather than an act of vandalism because of the partial damage sustained by the granite structure.

Those people have blamed lightning, in an apparent dismissal of what authorities have found and CCTV video showing a vehicle leaving the location shortly after the explosion.

State authorities continue to search for a suspect or suspects.

Unknown origins of monument ‘helped’ fuel conspiracies

07:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Katie McCarthy, a conspiracy theory researcher for the Anti-Defamation League, said in an interview with NPR that the anyonomity of the person or group who commissioned the Georgia Guidestones has also contributed to wild claims about the granite structure.

“That’s given the guidestones a sort of shroud of mystery around them, because the identity and intent of the individuals who commissioned them is unknown,” she said after the monument was damaged, and demolished.

“And so that has helped over the years to fuel a lot of speculation and conspiracy theories about the guidestones’ true intent.”

Built in 1980 by a person or group under the pseudonym R.C. Christian, the monument contain inscpritons about humanity, civilisation and other “lessons”. It also acts as a sundial and clock.

Authorities forced to level entire monument after explosion

05:01 , Oliver O'Connell

Authorities have levelled the Georgia Guidestones after the landmark was badly damaged in a bombing attack.

Dramatic footage captured the moment the guidestones were struck by an explosive device at around 4am on Wednesday morning.

Hours later, demolition crews brought down the giant granite slabs that were still standing, 11Alive reported.

Bevan Hurley reports.

CCTV captures Georgia Guidestones bomb attack as authorities forced to level monument

CCTV captures a person leaving explosive device

04:50 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

A new video released by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation shows a person leaving an explosive device at the Georgia Guidestones.

“The video is unclear, but agents are still actively working to identify the person leaving the scene after the explosion,” the authorities said.

Explainer: What are the Georgia Guidestones?

03:00 , Oliver O'Connell

The Georgia Guidestones is a group of stones forming a granite monument in Elbert County, Georgia, about 90 miles east of Atlanta, 45 miles from Athens, and seven miles from the town of Elberton, locally known as “the Granite Capital of the World”.

Learn more about the bizarre history of the landmark:

What are the Georgia Guidestones and where did they come from?

Stone conspiracies featured on ‘Last Week Tonight’

02:00 , Oliver O'Connell

In a segment on the Georgia Guidestones on HBO’s Last Week Tonight, comedian John Oliver discussed the claims aired by GOP gubernatorial candidate Kandiss Taylor during her campaign.

The segment referred to claims about the person behind the monument and white supremacism.

What we know so far about the attack on the Georgia Guidestones

01:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Graig Graziosi has the latest developments from Georgia:

Georgia Guidestones: ‘America’s Stonehenge’ bulldozed after bomb attack

How the Georgia Guidestones became a ‘demonic’ conservative obsession

Friday 8 July 2022 00:00 , Oliver O'Connell

The mysterious Georgia Guidestones, sometimes called America’s Stonehenge, were damaged in an apparent bomb attack, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) said.

The monument, which was targeted in the early hours of Wednesday morning, consists of six massive granite slabs, onto which are inscribed a list of 10 instructions for the conservation of humanity in the event of an apocalyptic event.

The Guidestones were erected in 1980 and have stood as an oddity in a field in Elberton, Georgia ever since. The GBI has confirmed that the destruction of one of the slabs was most likely the result of an explosive device.

But why would someone try to blow up an apparently innocuous monument?

Graig Graziosi reports.

How the Georgia Guidestones became a ‘demonic’ conservative obsession

Remaining pillars were toppled for safety reasons

Thursday 7 July 2022 23:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Elbert County officials made the decision to take down the remainder of the monument for safety reasons.

Community will decide if to restore monument

Thursday 7 July 2022 22:00 , Gino Spocchia

Chris Kubas, the vice president of the Elbert Granite Association which has responsibility for the stone monument, has said local officials and community leaders will have to work out if the Guidestones are restored.

The community will also have to consider who would repay for their reconstruction, should that happen.

“If you didn’t like it, you didn’t have to come see it and read it,” Mr Kubas said to NPR. “But unfortunately, somebody decided they didn’t want anyone to read it.”

Unknown origins of monument ‘helped’ fuel conspiracies

Thursday 7 July 2022 21:30 , Gino Spocchia

Katie McCarthy, a conspiracy theory researcher for the Anti-Defamation League, said in an interview with NPR that the anyonomity of the person or group who commissioned the Georgia Guidestones has also contributed to wild claims about the granite structure.

“That’s given the guidestones a sort of shroud of mystery around them, because the identity and intent of the individuals who commissioned them is unknown,” she said after the monument was damaged, and demolished.

“And so that has helped over the years to fuel a lot of speculation and conspiracy theories about the guidestones’ true intent.”

Built in 1980 by a person or group under the pseudonym R.C. Christian, the monument contain inscpritons about humanity, civilisation and other “lessons”. It also acts as a sundial and clock.

GBI appeals for public help

Thursday 7 July 2022 21:00 , Gino Spocchia

Georgia’s investigation bureau contines to seek any infromation on the destruction of the stones:

Some of the conspiracy theories about the stones...

Thursday 7 July 2022 20:30 , Gino Spocchia

As well as being viewed as an “act of God”, the demolition of the roadside granite monument has also seen followers of the QAnon conspiracy theory point to their allegedly “satanic” nature.

One man, posting on Twitter, pointed out that the guidestones were “exactly 666.78 miles from the UN Headquarters in NYC” before adding “This is NOT a coincidence”.

Alex Jones, a more well known conspiracy theorist, meanwhile said seeing the stones destroyed made him happy on an “animal level,” although he ultimately disagreed with their destruction, as he believes they must stand as a reminder that the Illuminati is out there pulling strings.

“We need that evil edifice there as a confession letter led by a consortium of eugenicists,” he said.

Graig Graziosi has more:

How the Georgia Guidestones became a ‘demonic’ conservative obsession

GOP candidate says ‘vandalism is illegal’

Thursday 7 July 2022 20:00 , Gino Spocchia

Responding to reports of her criticism and claims about the Georgia Guidestones, GOP gubernatorial candidate Kandiss Taylor said in a video on Wednesday that she wanted the monument to be demolished without any vandalism.

“I believe vandalism is illegal and sometimes, people like to call vandalism instead of actually giving God credit because they don’t know how to explain what happens when God moves,” Ms Taylor said.

She continued by saying that she still believed the damage to the stones – which she has labelled as “satanic” – was an ‘act of God’.

“So, until I see a video that shows me anything than what looked like lightning or the hand of God moving on a situation, I’m going to believe it was God.”

Guidestones have been demolished after attack

Thursday 7 July 2022 19:30 , Gino Spocchia

The Georgia Guidestones have now been demolished following the alleged explosion on Wednesday, which damaged part of the monument.

Authorities are still yet to identify suspects and have appealed for anybody with information to come forward.

Bevan Hurley has more:

CCTV captures Georgia Guidestones bomb attack as authorities forced to level monument

Who built the stones?

Thursday 7 July 2022 19:00 , Gino Spocchia

The owners of Elberton Granite Finishing Company, which was commissioned to build the slabs, said an anonymous man approached them with a plan to build the monument in 1979.

That individual claimed the monument was meant to act as a compass, calendar and clock that could withstand catastrophic events.

The company claims it tried to discourage the man from pursuing the project by offering a comically inflated price for the project, but were surprised to find the individual accepted the quote.

In 1980, the monument was completed and suspicion about who was behind the structure has lasted ever since.

When was monument last attacked?

Thursday 7 July 2022 18:30 , Gino Spocchia

The attack was not the first time the Georgia Guidestones had been targetted.

In November 2008, the stones were attacked by vandals and spray-painted with tags including “Jesus will beat u satanist” and “No one-world government.”

Stone conspiracies featured on ‘Last Week Tonight'

Thursday 7 July 2022 18:00 , Gino Spocchia

In a segment on the Georgia Guidestones on HBO’s Last Week Tonight, comedian John Oliver discussed the claims aired by GOP gubernatorial candidate Kandiss Taylor during her campaign.

The segment referred to claims about the person behind the monument and white supremacism.

GOP candidate pushes conspiracy about monument

Thursday 7 July 2022 17:30 , Gino Spocchia

Two months before the attack on the Georgia Guidestones, the monument became a focus of a local GOP gubernatorial hopeful, Kandiss Taylor.

Ms Taylor called for the demolition of the monument in a campaign video, while also echoing other conspiracy theories such as former president Donald Trump‘s 2020 election lie.

On Wednesday, she said the stones were “satanic” and welcomed their demoliton on an apparent ‘act of God’.

Here’s that tweet:

Local chamber of commerce ‘saddened’ by destruction

Thursday 7 July 2022 17:00 , Gino Spocchia

The Elbert Chamber of Commerce has said it was “saddened” by the apparent attack on the Georgia Guidestones, which was both a local landmark and a popular tourist spot.

“The Elbert County Chamber of Commerce was saddened to learn of the apparent intentional destruction of our most frequently visited community attraction, the Georgia Guidestones,” the group said.

“Over the years, the Guidestones have created lots of discussion and brought visitors to Elbert County from all over the world. Whatever your personal opinion on the Guidestones is, this attack is bad for our community. We hope that whomever is responsible is apprehended and brought to justice.”

Message on stones are ‘instructions’ for humanity

Thursday 7 July 2022 16:30 , Gino Spocchia

Many have claimed the messages on the slabs are instructions for the coming “new world order”.

The executive vice president of the association responsible for up keeping the monument has said the inscriptions on the panels were instructions “meant for a future population after a cataclysmic event”.

That included limiting the world population to 500 million, “guiding reproduction wisely”, and uniting “humanity with a living new language”.

Oliver O’Conell reports

What are the Georgia Guidestones and where did they come from?

Online videos propel lightning ‘act of God’ claims

Thursday 7 July 2022 16:00 , Gino Spocchia

Online, known conspiracy theorists have shared their own beliefs about how the Georgia Guidestones monument was damaged, in what authorities have labelled an explosion.

At least one YouTube video seen by The Independent suggested the explosion was “an act of God” rather than an act of vandalism because of the partial damage sustained by the granite structure.

Those people have blamed lightning, in apparent dismissal of what authorities have found and CCTV video showing a vehicle leaving the location shortly after the explosion.

State authorities continue to search the suspect or suspects.

Unknown origins of monument ‘helped’ fuel conspiracies

Thursday 7 July 2022 15:30 , Gino Spocchia

Katie McCarthy, a conspiracy theory researcher for the Anti-Defamation League, said in an interview with NPR that the anyonomity of the person or group who commissioned the Georgia Guidestones has also contributed to wild claims about the granite structure.

“That’s given the guidestones a sort of shroud of mystery around them, because the identity and intent of the individuals who commissioned them is unknown,” she said after the monument was damaged, and demolished.

“And so that has helped over the years to fuel a lot of speculation and conspiracy theories about the guidestones’ true intent.”

Built in 1980 by a person or group under the pseudonym R.C. Christian, the monument contain inscpritons about humanity, civilisation and other “lessons”. It also acts as a sundial and clock.

Why are the stones considered ‘satanic’?

Thursday 7 July 2022 15:00 , Gino Spocchia

The Georgia Guidestones were erected in 1980 in a field in Elberton, Georgia, and have been a source of conspiracy theories ever since.

Opposition to the stones began almost as soon as they were unveiled, with a local pastor circulating the theory that the stones were built for cult and devil worship based on its similar appearance to Stonehenge.

Conservative Christians sometimes link pagan ritual sites to demonic worship, wrapping all animist religions under the umbrella of “demonic” or “satanic”.

Griag Graziosi has more:

How the Georgia Guidestones became a ‘demonic’ conservative obsession

Authorities forced to level entire monument after explosion

Thursday 7 July 2022 14:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Authorities have levelled the Georgia Guidestones after the landmark was badly damaged in a bombing attack.

Dramatic footage captured the moment the guidestones were struck by an explosive device at around 4am on Wednesday morning.

Hours later, demolition crews brought down the giant granite slabs that were still standing, 11Alive reported.

Bevan Hurley reports.

CCTV captures Georgia Guidestones bomb attack as authorities forced to level monument

CCTV footage shows car near site before explosion

Thursday 7 July 2022 14:00 , Oliver O'Connell

In footage released by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, a car is seen near the monument shortly after the explosion.

Explainer: What are the Georgia Guidestones?

Thursday 7 July 2022 13:30 , Oliver O'Connell

The Georgia Guidestones is a group of stones forming a granite monument in Elbert County, Georgia, about 90 miles east of Atlanta, 45 miles from Athens, and seven miles from the town of Elberton, locally known as “the Granite Capital of the World”.

Learn more about the bizarre history of the landmark:

What are the Georgia Guidestones and where did they come from?

GBI appeals to public for information on explosion

Thursday 7 July 2022 12:00 , Oliver O'Connell

What we know so far about the attack on the Georgia Guidestones

Thursday 7 July 2022 10:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Graig Graziosi has the latest developments from Georgia:

Georgia Guidestones: ‘America’s Stonehenge’ damaged in bomb attack

How the Georgia Guidestones became a ‘demonic’ conservative obsession

Thursday 7 July 2022 09:00 , Oliver O'Connell

The mysterious Georgia Guidestones, sometimes called America’s Stonehenge, were damaged in an apparent bomb attack, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) said.

The monument, which was targeted in the early hours of Wednesday morning, consists of six massive granite slabs, onto which are inscribed a list of 10 instructions for the conservation of humanity in the event of an apocalyptic event.

The guidestones were erected in 1980 and have stood as an oddity in a field in Elberton, Georgia ever since. The GBI has confirmed that the destruction of one of the slabs was most likely the result of an explosive device.

But why would someone try to blow up an apparently innocuous monument?

Graig Graziosi reports.

How the Georgia Guidestones became a ‘demonic’ conservative obsession

Remaining pillars toppled for safety reasons

Thursday 7 July 2022 07:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Elbert County officials made the decision to take down the remainder of the monument for safety reasons.

Explainer: What are the Georgia Guidestones?

Thursday 7 July 2022 05:30 , Oliver O'Connell

The Georgia Guidestones is a group of stones forming a granite monument in Elbert County, Georgia, about 90 miles east of Atlanta, 45 miles from Athens, and seven miles from the town of Elberton, locally known as “the Granite Capital of the World”.

Learn more about the bizarre history of the landmark:

What are the Georgia Guidestones and where did they come from?

Senator Wendy Rogers calls Guidestones ‘evil and satanic’

Thursday 7 July 2022 05:27 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Republican senator Wendy Rogers, while calling the Guidestones “evil and satanic”, said she is “glad” to see the authorities tearing it down following an explosion that partially damaged the pillars.

“We only support and worship the one true god, not an imposter and the father of all lies.”

Remaining monument levelled after explosion

Thursday 7 July 2022 04:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Authorities have levelled the Georgia Guidestones after the landmark was badly damaged in a possible bombing attack.

Hours later, the demolition crews brought down the giant granite slabs that were still standing.

CCTV footage shows car near site before explosion

Thursday 7 July 2022 04:00 , Oliver O'Connell

In footage released by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, a car is seen near the monument shortly after the explosion.

Watch: ‘Last Week Tonight’ covers Georgia Guidestones

Thursday 7 July 2022 03:00 , Oliver O'Connell

In his inimitable style, on his HBO show Last Week Tonight, John Oliver took a look at Kandiss Taylor, the Georgia Guidestones, who may have actually commissioned them, and what their supposed message may actually be...

Watch below from the 8.30 mark:

Elbert Chamber of Commerce ‘saddened’ by incident

Thursday 7 July 2022 02:00 , Oliver O'Connell

The Elbert County Chamber of Commerce was saddened to learn of the apparent intentional destruction of our most frequently visited community attraction, the Georgia Guidestones. Over the years, the Guidestones have created lots of discussion and brought visitors to Elbert County from all over the world. Whatever your personal opinion on the Guidestones is, this attack is bad for our community. We hope that whomever is responsible is apprehended and brought to justice.

How the Georgia Guidestones became a ‘demonic’ conservative obsession

Thursday 7 July 2022 01:00 , Oliver O'Connell

The mysterious Georgia Guidestones, sometimes called America’s Stonehenge, were damaged in an apparent bomb attack, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) said.

The monument, which was targeted in the early hours of Wednesday morning, consists of six massive granite slabs, onto which are inscribed a list of 10 instructions for the conservation of humanity in the event of an apocalyptic event.

The guidestones were erected in 1980 and have stood as an oddity in a field in Elberton, Georgia ever since. The GBI has confirmed that the destruction of one of the slabs was most likely the result of an explosive device.

But why would someone try to blow up an apparently innocuous monument?

Graig Graziosi reports.

How the Georgia Guidestones became a ‘demonic’ conservative obsession

GBI releases CCTV footage

Thursday 7 July 2022 00:23 , Oliver O'Connell

CCTV captures Georgia Guidestones bomb attack

Wednesday 6 July 2022 23:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Dramatic footage captured the moment the guidestones were struck by an explosive device at around 4am on Wednesday morning.

CCTV captures Georgia Guidestones bomb attack as authorities forced to level monument

Remaining pillars toppled for safety reasons

Wednesday 6 July 2022 23:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Elbert County officials made the decision to take down the remainder of the monument for safety reasons.

Remainder of monument demolished

Wednesday 6 July 2022 23:08 , Oliver O'Connell

Via 11Alive:

11Alive’s Dawn White reported from the scene in Elbert County in the evening that crews had gone in to level the remaining standing parts of the Guidestones.

Video from the scene showed construction equipment and the stone blocks in a rubble heap.

Explainer: What are the Georgia Guidestones?

Wednesday 6 July 2022 22:45 , Oliver O'Connell

The Georgia Guidestones is a group of stones forming a granite monument in Elbert County, Georgia, about 90 miles east of Atlanta, 45 miles from Athens, and seven miles from the town of Elberton, locally known as “the Granite Capital of the World”.

Learn more about the bizarre history of the landmark:

What are the Georgia Guidestones and where did they come from?

What we know so far about the attack on the Georgia Guidestones

Wednesday 6 July 2022 22:16 , Oliver O'Connell

Graig Graziosi has the latest developments from Georgia:

Georgia Guidestones: ‘America’s Stonehenge’ damaged in bomb attack

GBI asks public for information

Wednesday 6 July 2022 21:40 , Oliver O'Connell

A focal point of conspiracy theorists

Wednesday 6 July 2022 21:03 , Oliver O'Connell

The monument has become the focal point of conservative conspiracy theories over the last years, with allegations that the message on the slabs are instructions for the coming “new world order.”

Kandiss Taylor, a far-right conspiracy theorist who ran in the state’s Republican gubernatorial primary against incumbent Brian Kemp, made the destruction of the guidestones a central pillar of her campaign.

In a glossy campaign video, she announced her “executive order 10,” which would see the monument demolished.

Throughout the video she nods to other conservative talking points and conspiracy theories.

The video starts with a reference to a Covid-19 vaccine conspiracy, with Ms Taylor saying “over four million people got injected with something that took only nine months to create. Ask yourself why.”

It then moves onto demonic human sacrifice.

“Human sacrifice was a form of demonic worship, we’re still doing it in present day by killing our unborn,” she says, while a graphic about the number of abortions performed worldwide splashes across the screen. “It’s the same demons, the same sacrifice, the same sin, it’s just a different time.”

Then she shifts focus to the “new world order” and the insinuation that the Georgia Guidestones are a message from the demon-worshipping elite who secretly rule the world as to their plans.

“The new world order is here and they told us it was coming,” she says.

Shortly after news broke that the stones had been damaged, rather than denouncing the destruction of private property by a protester — which is standard for most Republicans — she suggested that God struck down one of the stones.

Watch: ‘Last Week Tonight’ covers Georgia Guidestones

Wednesday 6 July 2022 20:43 , Oliver O'Connell

In his inimitable style, on his HBO show Last Week Tonight, John Oliver took a look at Kandiss Taylor, the Georgia Guidestones, who may have actually commissioned them, and what their supposed message may actually be...

Watch below from the 8.30 mark:

Elbert Chamber of Commerce ‘saddened’ by incident

Wednesday 6 July 2022 20:20 , Oliver O'Connell

The Elbert County Chamber of Commerce was saddened to learn of the apparent intentional destruction of our most frequently visited community attraction, the Georgia Guidestones. Over the years, the Guidestones have created lots of discussion and brought visitors to Elbert County from all over the world. Whatever your personal opinion on the Guidestones is, this attack is bad for our community. We hope that whomever is responsible is apprehended and brought to justice.

The supposed intended interpretation

Wednesday 6 July 2022 20:01 , Oliver O'Connell

Given their mysterious origins, the intended meaning or purpose of the Guidestones is somewhat vague.

One interpretation is that they describe the basic concepts required to rebuild a devastated civilization after a nuclear war. This is believed to have been the case given that they were built at the height of the Cold War in 1980.

One inscription reads, “Let these be guidestones to an Age of Reason”, presumably the hope for a post-apocalyptic recovery.

The most contraversial engraving for conspiracy theorists is the suggestion to keep humanity's population below 500 million. Those who believe the intention was for a post-war world say that this is through the assumption that any was would have reduced the world’s population below this already.

Astronomic features mimic the ways in which Stonehenge in the UK lines up with the sun throughout the year, perhaps to ensure time could still be measured after an apocalyptic event.

A time capsule was also intended to be buried at the site, but blank spaces in the inscription appear to indicate it was not.

What we know so far

Wednesday 6 July 2022 19:27 , Oliver O'Connell

Graig Graziosi has the latest developments from Georgia:

Georgia Guidestones: ‘America’s Stonehenge’ damaged in apparent explosion

GBI confirms explosive device used

Wednesday 6 July 2022 19:09 , Oliver O'Connell

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation confirms the Georgia Guidestones monument near Elberton was damaged by an explosive device.

GBI says the bomb appears to have gone off around 4 am, with sheriff’s deputies responding to discover the damage. Some residents told local news outlets they heard an explosion at that time.

Elbert County sheriff’s deputies, Elberton police and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation were among the agencies trying to figure out what happened.

The monument had previously been vandalised.

Reporting by The Associated Press

Guidestones subject to wild conspiracy theories

Wednesday 6 July 2022 19:00 , Oliver O'Connell

The inscriptions on the stones have fed into wild conspiracy theories regarding population control, a new world order, vaccines, and human sacrifice among others.

Georgia gubernatorial candidate Kandiss Taylor has gone as far as declaring that she would have the Guidestones demolished as the only candidate willing to stand up to the “Luciferian Cabal”.

This morning she went on to claim that the landmark had been struck down by god.

Aerial footage shows damage to landmark

Wednesday 6 July 2022 18:45 , Oliver O'Connell

What does the inscription on the stones say?

Wednesday 6 July 2022 18:32 , Oliver O'Connell

Written in eight different languages, the stones relay a ten-part message:

1. Maintain humanity under 500,000,000 in perpetual balance with nature.

2. Guide reproduction wisely — improving fitness and diversity.

3. Unite humanity with a living new language.

4. Rule passion — faith — tradition — and all things with tempered reason.

5. Protect people and nations with fair laws and just courts.

6. Let all nations rule internally resolving external disputes in a world court.

7. Avoid petty laws and useless officials.

8. Balance personal rights with social duties.

9. Prize truth — beauty — love — seeking harmony with the infinite.

10. Be not a cancer on the Earth — Leave room for nature — Leave room for nature.

What are the Georgia Guidestones?

Wednesday 6 July 2022 18:20 , Oliver O'Connell

The Georgia Guidestones are a granite monument in Elbert County, Georgia. They are located off of Guidestone Road just east of state Highway 77.

Chris Kubas, executive vice president of the Elberton Granite Association, which has a role in maintaining the Guidestones, told Fox 5 he was saddened by the destruction of part of the monument.

“I’m sad not just for Elberton and Elbert County, I’m sad for the United States and the world,” Mr Kubas said. “These were a tourist attraction, and it was not uncommon for people around the world to be up here at any given time.”

The monument’s purpose is somewhat ambiguous. Allegedly commissioned by a person under the name RC Christian in 1980, the roadside attraction became known as “America's Stonehenge” for its mysterious origins and monolithic nature.

At 19 feet high, each stone block weighs about 42,000 pounds. It serves as a calendar, like its namesake in England, and is inscribed with a 10-part message in eight different languages. The messages are “guidelines” for humanity.

“They were meant for a future population after a cataclysmic event,” Mr Kubas said.

Elberton is locally known as “the Granite Capital of the World” and the stones were locally-mined.

“To quarry something of that size and get those four of them that precise … with the sandblasting it took to letter those languages, that is utter craftsmanship that you wouldn’t find anywhere else,” Mr Kubas said.

How the Guidestones looked before

Wednesday 6 July 2022 18:10 , Oliver O'Connell

‘America’s Stonehenge’ damaged in apparent explosion

Wednesday 6 July 2022 18:07 , Oliver O'Connell

The mysterious Georgia Guidestones have sustained significant damage after residents reported hearing a thunderous explosion near their location.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigations told reporters that preliminary information suggests someone used an explosive device to damage the pillars.

Georgia Guidestones: ‘America’s Stonehenge’ damaged in apparent explosion