Looks like this one was unflagged. There seems to have been some funny business on these threads. Three others previously reached the front page and then were flagged.
Try to find this thread on the front pages of HN...
It's not there, at least in the first 150 results.
It seems to have been unflagged, then "shadow flagged". Which is even more fucked up.
Your first two links are the same btw, did you mean to link to this one,
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16577485 , where I asked for a discussion on removal of such an important story? According to moderator 'dang', I was just "creating drama".
Thanks, I meant to link this one, but upon looking again it appears it likely never got enough votes to hit the front page before being flagged/shadowflagged
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16578715
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16578715
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16576569