It’s using existing moderator tools to moderate behavior that has previously been subject to moderation (personal attacks). Using this tool in this manner is precedented and at least used to be uncontroversial. If you wish to put its use up for community vote, then you might as well start an RFC to remove all mods and run literally everything via referendum.
Obviously no, because things like the main covid thread, the Biden thread, the STONKS thread, etc. may have multiple news items per day, people have personal firsthand insights, and, most importantly, they’re more than just a cesspool of personal sniping back and forth. We don’t really need a thread here where a handful of people play “No YOU’RE the real racist!” like it’s a text based MUD for the penis game.