Denmark police apologize for ID check

• Tweet

COPENHAGEN, Denmark, Jan. 10 (UPI) -- Copenhagen Police are admitting they shouldn't have targeted a church for the purposes of identifying African migrants.

The Copenhagen Post reported five police officers entered the The Redeemed Christian Church of God in Amager Dec. 30, shortly before the start of services, to check churchgoers' identification papers.

Police said African immigrants frequent the church and that the location comes up during investigations of illegal residents.

Police claimed they didn't know the location was a church despite its name, and that the action turned up three questionable individuals.

But after widespread criticism of the decision, police apologized Wednesday for targeting the church.

"We must simply do our research better," a Copenhagen police inspector said.