Further IF he says he has the right to say whichever he wants.
As a civilian, he may. And that is still a "may".
If he wasn't involved with his former colleague,
and if his words didin't have a specific motive of an attack,
aiming an outcome.
This came to his attention because of his colleague.
Then he chose to justify his/their actions by blaming me,
in an unreasonable way. This is called an attack.
It has a specific motive of an outcome, to 'turn the table.'
Freedom of speech applies if it was a simple opinion.
If it's even something lesser, like a strike, law gets involved.
If he is protecting himself and their actions by attacking me *in the public.
He well knows it wasn't just an opinion. Not from where he is.
I believe he has violated many of my rights,
he has breached the law. He attempted this 'bullying'
with a specific motive, fully aware of what they've done.