The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) on Thursday released surveillance footage that shows someone running to and from a rural monument that was damaged on Wednesday in an apparent act of vandalism.
In a series of videos and pictures the agency shared on Twitter, a suspicious figure is seen running toward the Georgia Guidestones, a monument near Elberton that was heavily damaged following an explosion that destroyed a large portion of the structure.
“The GBI is releasing additional surveillance video that shows an unknown person leaving an explosive device at the Georgia Guidestones,” the bureau said. “The video is unclear, but agents are still actively working to identify the person leaving the scene after the explosion.”
No one was injured in the explosion, the GBI noted.
Officials said a “large portion of the structure” was damaged by the explosion and the remaining standing parts of the mysterious Stonehenge-like monument were later knocked down “for safety reasons,” leaving a pile of rubble in a picture that investigators published.
The footage was obtained due to prior acts of vandalism at the site prompting a decision for cameras to be placed near the monument, said Chris Kubas, the executive vice president of the Elbert Granite Association.
Built in 1980 in rural Elbert County, the Guidestones are a megalithic-inspired monument that called for the world’s population to remain under 500 million. It’s not clear who exactly built the Guidestones, and public records say that a man named Robert C. Christian, or R.C. Christian, had them constructed on behalf of a “small group of loyal Americans.”
The stones should be capable of “withstanding catastrophic events” and would serve as a compass, calendar, and clock, according to a Wired magazine article published in 2009.
The stones’ messages were translated into English, Spanish, Swahili, Hindi, Hebrew, Arabic, Chinese, and Russian.
As for the messages, some have speculated that they advocate for eugenics, population control, globalism, and a worldwide government. The first two messages say: “Maintain humanity under 500,000,000 in perpetual balance with nature, guide reproduction wisely—improving fitness and diversity,” and “unite humanity with a living new language.”
The site is about 7 miles north of Elberton and about 90 miles east of Atlanta, near the South Carolina state line. Granite quarrying is a top local industry, employing about 2,000 in the area, Kubas said.
