This is first test how decentralized this exchange is. If it will somehow cease to exist then is not that decentralized.
It is like they are testing our bottom line by doing this kind of shit, if the community remains calm after they do this and the founder of EtherDelta fulfill what they are asking for to him, i bet they will start it massively and i also believe they will act as their please by closing some exchange and many things that they will do in the future.
i really hate when they said this 'it is all about investor, we need to protect them'.
Common line of them and even myself do really hate it which they can give out a reason but eventually they are really upto something more deeper.They do really like to dig and test out on where crypto community can sustain.Knowing that government do really try all sorts of things as they pleases and do tends to control or seize up those things that uncontrollable and im quite surprised that ED had to deal with it.