midnight knocks

In English, midnight is the traditional witching hour, that point of the night furthest removed from the wholesome day.

Of course this notion presumes that Western Gods are blind, but....

The Secret Police would be government police, men with no uniforms and responsible only to "government" men.

Midnight was a favored time for raids by the secret police because the streets would be quiet and the householders would be sleeping and vulnerable when roused suddenly from slumber.