Yes the beating was clearly illegal, but it's a risk he took when he conned people out of drink money. The main point is that freedom of speech only protects you from GOVERNMENT actions it doen't protect you from private consequences of your actions.
And I do not beweep in the slightest any fate that came to the beaters on account of the beating. And I do not condone any threats express or implied to beat someone under such circumstances.
As an attorney, I can tell you that there’s the law, and then there are the rules. You can bend the law but you don’t mess with the rules.
Beating the guy was against the law, but it wasn’t against the rules.