A few years ago they were still PRETENDING to believe in free speech.
No, they still believe fervently in free speech—for themselves. “Incorrect speech” must be stomped out. It’s really for everyone’s good. /s
We are seeing a very old Communist technique in action. When out of power, Communists, whether in Tsarist Russia or pre-revolutionary Spain, are big advocates of freedom of speech. Their libertarian sentiments vanish when they gain power. In a similar vein, Communists are champions of labor rights until they take control, after which they are worse than the former capitalist class.
This playbook long predates Saul Alinsky. There was a book written many years ago: "You Can Trust the Communists (to be Communists)". As true in 2020 as it was in 1920.