There are multiple solutions to this without using --force.
Move the files, clone, unmove the files, commit, push being the most straightforward that I can summon at this time.. but I've solved this dozens of times and have never use --force.
With glorious AI!
True, in the situation with a local history maybe it's worthwhile to --force to nuke an empty remote. In that case it is practical to do so. I just typically like to find non-force options.