My solution would be: reopen the sub. If lot of traffic, drastically lower the quality of everything. Reposts, unrelated posts, unfunny memes, shitposts, let them flood. The price is the lowered quality of the community (which may be fixable, may be not). If little traffic, make ridiculously strict rules. “The sub is not restricted, its just people not following the rules” Very malicious (and unfunny) compliance. Of course ask whether your community is fine with all that.