I mean, looks like no matter what the current mods do, Reddit is determined to silence the organic community-driven protest. Eventually mods will have to play ball or be replaced, but this current attitude of "look admins, we're doing what you want, it's the users who are not" delays that inevitability in a way that does in fact support the community users in their desire to protest. All the mods quitting right now in anger would just be replaced with new boot licking mods who would ban these protest posts immediately.
I don't think there's any way for the community to win in the long run, but the current mods half-ass playing ball is allowing the protest to continue for now