simcha613: It’s no coincidence because those mechalelei Shabbos decided it to be just then!
If I’m not mistaken, I think loshon hora applies to the living. It’s a chumra (cherem) not to speak about those not living.
It would be no loshon hara if they would be alive either, they were porkei ohl.
btw does anyone here know when the actual ‘declaration’ procession occurred? Was it on a Thursday ‘mukdam’, or on a Friday close/after to shkia?