I think the sympathies to this story would change a lot if Quad9 was refusing to block DNS resolution to websites for other illegal organizations like human trafficking rings, cartels, gangs, etc.

Copyright infringement isn’t exactly a violent crime but it is very clearly a crime.

What I don’t think Quad9 realizes is that being neutral from a technical and architectural basis is meaningless in law and doesn’t reflect your intent. If you have awareness and means to make a change that mitigates harm and you refuse, that’s how you lose cases.

I think it can be very easily argued by a lawyer that Quad9 intended to keep the infringing content easily available and at best minimally comply.