Stop deleting threads!

You don't get it.

You haven't said why it happened, just that "the thing you think wasn't it" - this was not a normal circumstance, but your continued refusal to give a proper explanation for what went on is why I don't believe you.

"trust me bro" is what you are saying here, it's not good enough.

I don't believe you looked into it, and I don't believe you ever intended to come back to this thread actually.

Why was the thread closed, and why did the mod not even leave a note to explain what the issue with the thread was, so people could avoid that in the future. It still stinks, and there is no other feasible explanation, in my opinion , other than a mod felt hard done by and their mate did them a solid and stepped in to curb further embarrassment.

As to why you'd "bother your arse" to say different, is because that's the tradition here. Wagon circling, protect the hierarchy at all costs and to brush off people who ask questions you don't like answering. What you are doing here is what the admin and staff always do, try to make the person raising the issue out to be the issue, ignore the actual issue, or gaslight the complainant into thinking nothing untoward happened, when it's plain as day something out of the ordinary has happened, but you are ignoring that completely and saying no nothing was wrong there, everything normal. It just wasn't, and you pretending otherwise is more than a little strange.

but it's clear that there's nothing I can say or show you that will make you change your mind

Because as per usual with this type of thing, when some lowly user dares to question decisions or look for a bit of transparency it's like getting blood from a stone, and your "explanation" post here yesterday should have been what you typed above - but you are still continuing to refuse to answer questions.

Thread summarily locked without even an acknowledgement from the person in the hierarchy who did it - everything else you claim is just retconning to make the actions seem justified in my opinion - the fact that it took a month to even bother to come back to this, having being prompted speaks volumes too tbh

You won't even acknowledge that it was handled badly both on the thread, and here afterwards - because god forbid anyone in the hierarchy criticises one of their pals. You won't even acknowledge that no mod note was left, or say why a local mod didn't deal and a regional cmod jumped to the rescue instead, that is not "proper procedure" as you lot are so quick to point out when the questions come.

Procedure and systems when it suits, when you can shut people down and stop them raising issues - do what you like when it comes to not making yourselves look bad.

I'm not trying to make you out to be the issue at all

I disagree, you are gaslighting and drip-dripping information in an attempt to get a reaction.