Mayor Michael Bloomberg (Photo as it appears on www.nyc.gov)

Mayor Michael Bloomberg apologized to a group of Sikh tourists from Britain who were handcuffed and forced to kneel on a Broadway sidewalk after the driver of the sightseeing bus they were traveling by alerted the police on July 24.

The police identified them as Baljh Sahota, Chauinder Gill, Jackjit Singh, Askhad Addokou and Johal-Singtt Cashant, The New York Times reported.

“It turned out that these half dozen people did not present any threat whatsoever and it’s a shame and I certainly apologize on behalf of the City of New York anytime we ever detain anybody unnecessarily. Better they’re found innocent than found guilty I suppose, but it’s a shame that it happened and we love tourists and we want them to keep coming here and feel that they have- that they can go around and enjoy this city,” Bloomberg said according to an official statement from his office.

Daily News quoted one of the tourists, identified as 39-year-old Jas, as saying, “These things happen, don’t they? We have no hard feelings. It certainly made our trip different, but didn’t ruin it at all.”

Bloomberg said while New Yorkers should report any suspicious activity, they should also use “common sense” and avoid profiling people.

The five British tourists later left to continue their U.S. trip. The Sikhs were visiting from Birmingham in England.

Although the five were shaken when they were detained by heavily armed policemen, they later recovered their composure.

The city has been on a heightened security alert in the aftermath of the London terror bombings with police asking citizens to report any suspicious objects immediately.

Police have been instructed carry out random searches.