Reddit moderators participating in the protest against API changes have received messages from Reddit itself. The message implied that if subreddits are unwilling or incapable of reopening, Reddit would be willing to work with a new moderation team or process a top mod removal request. Despite previous statements that the platform would not unilaterally reopen communities, u/ModCodeofConduct confirmed that Reddit can remove mods that violate the site’s Mod Code of Conduct and replace them. While more than 8,000 subreddits joined the protest initially, over 4,000 are still closed. Controversially, Huffman is reportedly pursuing changes to make it easier for regular users to vote moderators out.
https://www.theverge.com/2023/6/16/23763538/reddit-blackout-api-protest-mod-replacement-threat