Getting your ass beat because you're a stupid douchebag is hardly the blow against free speech you're making it out to be. Truth is there are lots of things that make people deserve beatings that are well within the parameters of the law.
From a legal perspective we tolerate lots of things. That doesn't mean it's some big mystery to people that you might get beaten up if you're stupid enough to go to a pride parade and protest against homosexuality. If anything, it's a lesson in not being stupid.
It's not a big mystery, but, unlike you, I care about people getting assaulted for peacefully expressing their dissenting opinion, no matter how stupid they might be. I believe in caring about the right of unpopular opinions to be expressed — this is the essence of free speech.
I care about them being allowed to express their opinions, but I'm also realistic enough to realize there are venues and times where those opinions should get them beat up. They can create whole movements if they'd like to, I don't care.
How you make your voice heard matters and in this case it was so obviously right for them to get "assaulted". Even more so with the almost too obvious possibility that they went there expecting a bunch of docile homosexuals that were too passive to do anything about their shit and learned the hard way that being a fucking asshole can get you in trouble regardless of where you go.
To reiterate: I don't care what their opinions are but I certainly think it's right in every way except the law for them to get beat up when they express it in that way and in that particular setting/venue.
From a legal perspective we tolerate lots of things. That doesn't mean it's some big mystery to people that you might get beaten up if you're stupid enough to go to a pride parade and protest against homosexuality. If anything, it's a lesson in not being stupid.