I'll think you'll find they are, or do you think all the divisive narratives appeared out of thin air?

Mutually Assured Destruction. It's a deterrent.

I believed it was that because it was advancing so quickly to legitimacy, but they decided to pull back and criminalise speech instead.

Because everyone will hate them even more than usual? I hate the whole "women aren't a minority but should be treated like one" shit. They're half the population who demand power constantly, they should be able to take someone calling them what they are.