Let’s quote the relevant portion of your post then.
Utilising ingame mechanics in a manner intended by the design is harmful for the community?
Tex is correct, bullies do try to manipulate the narrative to make themselves appear blameless or justified. In fact everyone does this to varying degrees. Noone is truly impartial.
Bullying is defined as
bully1
/ˈbʊli/
verb
gerund or present participle: bullying
seek to harm, intimidate, or coerce (someone perceived as vulnerable).
We cleared CUOP with the devs prior to implementation to ensure everything was above board. No individual or group was selected as a target.
Now, if you twist the definition a little you may be able to apply it to cuop in the context of coercion. We did seek to provoke an in-game response utilising ingame mechanics.
On the other hand, some players in anticuop have sought to isolate CUOP members from the community. Social isolation causes vulnerability. This is then further exploited by some anticuop members with defamation (undue harm to reputation), threats of ongoing isolation and harm (intimidation), and “it will all stop if you flip, you’ll be a hero” (coercion).
I’m sorry that you have bitter experience with bullying. I also have experienced bullying growing up. It is something that should never happen.