Compare this to Chinese behavior around the Olympics and you’d be hard pressed to see many differences. This seems like politically targeted police activity and it’s un-American. Period.

I had been hearing about these type of raids, reading about them on CNN.com, but was holding off until I could find out more about the groups being raided. Greenwald puts everything together here so there’s little doubt that groups that successfully exposed abuses at the 2004 conventions are being targeted. They are being detained immediately this weekend, and starting the 36 hours countdown for charges to be filed on Tuesday because of the Labor Day holiday.

That sounds shady, too, but the tactic, if a defense lawyer doesn’t get a habeas petition in front of a judge this weekend somehow, ensures that these people are locked up until at least wednesday. It’s unclear when they get their property back (including video gear, computers, etc.)

I also find it weird that cops can get search warrants issued on a weekend or after business hours, but citizens have to wait until the holiday weekend is over to defend themselves. There’s something pretty un-American about that, too.