Editing it and replacing with “removed” or “.” is fine in these cases, since you can’t delete it once replied to; if the two hour edit window is closed, email the mods (footer contact) and ask them to autocollapse it for you.

(Fwiw, the mods are chill, and you could basically take that entire comment and ask it of them aggrieved-plaintively and they would try to be kind about that, so long as it’s not lashing out at them personally. Never feel like you have to be frustrated at community behavior here silently; either it’s an intentional thing or it’s something they’d like to address or once in a while they’re uncertain too, but you can always ask. I certainly do.)