classifying in genres is by definition gatekeeping. somewhere you have to draw a line between punk and everything else, otherwise the term punk loses all meaning.

Classifying them pop rock would be gatekeeping. I still classified them within the punk genre and still agreed with their statement of punk.

People have been saying Green Day aren't punk since Dookie. That's always been a thing with punk. Once you leave the underground clubs of NYC, you're pop.