Liberal principles are the result of an evolutionary arms race of ideas. Ideas allow and prevent sets of political strategies being employed. Witch hunting mobs are politically unstable. Liberal principles prevent them by...

... preventing the collective grievances that are necessary for them to form. Liberal principles also counter such mobs with codified protections for speech, religion, etc., as well as due process, presumption of innocence, etc.

Witch hunting mobs are as illiberal as it gets, being the very thing liberal principles were adapted to counter. Calling those in modern US politics who engage in witch hunting "liberals" shows how Orwellian our political framing has become.