Could you please update the message to "This subreddit is temporarily private as part of a joint protest to Reddit's recent API changes, which breaks third-party apps and moderation tools, effectively forcing users to use the official Reddit app." to raise awareness for the reason you took it private? That would be really helpful!
Hm, I don't see where I can set that, sadly. I don't see a customizable message when I visit the subreddit incognito, either, just a "this is private".
Given that nobody has reverted the change, I assume they'd just forgotten to do it in the first place.