If anything, it is the world of academia that has facilitated the assassination of free speech. More than anyone else these so-called intellectuals have been the first supporters of totalitarian ideas like communism and fascism. And as Hayek pointed out: they are so isolated in their ivory tower than they never even CARE about the consequences of their ideas.
The controversy around climate is one of the latest examples of that. They are so convinced about THEIR ideas that they want to censor, imprison or kill (or at least, fantasize about it) anyone who DARES question their ideas.