This wasn't an "issue", it was working as intended. The GPLv3 client intentionally depended on proprietary code. The CTO's comments on bitwarden/clients#11611, bitwarden/sdk#898 and fdroid/fdroiddata!15353 make it clear this was deliberate. They've now changed their stance because of the backlash.

It looks to me like people expressed genuine concerns about being lied to by a company, one they'd trusted with their passwords no less. Calling it "feigned outrage" is a bit rude.