Pistorius Family Split over Racial Comments About Police

Oscar's father says family owned guns because they didn't trust South African police to protect whites

The seemingly united front of the Paralympian Oscar Pistorius' family, who huddled together in the public gallery throughout his bail hearing, began to crack today.

Henke Pistorius, Oscar's father, told The Sunday Telegraph and Sunday Mirror at the weekend that he and members of his family owned guns because they could not rely on the police to protect them, and blamed the ANC for failing to protect white South Africans.

But today, Arnold, Oscar's uncle and the designated family spokesperson, said the interview was unapproved by the Pistorius media team and that the family was "deeply concerned" by the remarks. "Oscar and the rest of the Pistorius family distances itself from the comments," said a statement released by Stuart Higgins, a former Sun editor who is acting as a media adviser. "The comments don't represent the views of Oscar or the rest of the Pistorius family." The sprinter is charged with the premeditated murder of his girlfriend, the model Reeva Steenkamp, in a Valentine's Day shooting that he alleges was an accident, believing her to be an intruder.