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Georgia Guidestones explosion - live: ‘America’s Stonehenge’ that critics dub ‘satanic’ is hit by bomb attack

Rubble is all thats left of one of the Georgia Guidestones' five pillars. An explosion destroyed one of the slabs, prompting an investigation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (screengrab)
Rubble is all thats left of one of the Georgia Guidestones' five pillars. An explosion destroyed one of the slabs, prompting an investigation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (screengrab)

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.

The Elbert County Sheriff’s Office is working with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to investigate the attack on the structure.

Investigators said unknown people detonated an explosive device at around 4 am. A large portion of the structure was damaged and one part was completely destroyed.

The guidestones — sometimes called America’s Stonehenge, despite being erected in 1980 — consists of six granite slabs, with an inscription carved in eight different languages across the slabs. The inscriptions contain guidelines — hence guidestones — for pursuing human progress.

Key points

  • Georgia landmark damaged as explosion heard in early hours

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

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

  • Aerial footage shows sever damage to one of five pillars making up landmark

GBI confirms explosive device used

19:09 , Oliver O'Connell

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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

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

18:45 , Oliver O'Connell

What does the inscription on the stones say?

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?

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

18:10 , Oliver O'Connell

The Georgia Guidestones before they were damaged in an apparent explosion this morning (Paul Milliken Fox 5)
The Georgia Guidestones before they were damaged in an apparent explosion this morning (Paul Milliken Fox 5)

‘America’s Stonehenge’ damaged in apparent explosion

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