Step 1) get a major news outlet (NYT) to put a huge negative 'witchhunting' spotlight on the pizzagate cause

Step 2) Close r/Pizzagate next day

Step 3) have u/spez story come out soon after, highlighting trump supporters' harassment and connecting it to pizzagate. Thus making it a 'loony trump conspiracy' trend which makes it much easier to be ignored by the masses.

Why else would u/spez just outright admit it in T_D? Why now?

Just saw this recent article that I think further proves my point https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2016/11/23/fearing-yet-another-witch-hunt-reddit-bans-pizzagate/