This is a weird one. I found a decent picture of the plastic piece the strips mentioned above are part of, which sits behind the bumper cover and goes across the entire front of the car. It is the sixth picture in this ad:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Volvo-S70-Front-Bumper-Cover-97-00/402396020489

Look at all the snaps on the protruding tabs, including on the three strips. So they slip through narrow slots that are part of the bumper cover. These plastic forming these slots are apparently what people break when they remove the cover (not good!) I don't see how the snaps could be released but I will attempt to slide something VERY thin on top of the strips. There really is no clearance I can see. The plastic piece rests on the bumper support in the center, and tabs go over the back the support at the location of each of the strips. My best hope appears to be to flex those tabs upwards, which would allow the bumper cover to come forwards while the strip is still attached to it. That piece is still available for about $30 apparently but I am reluctant to break it on purpose and/or get the cover half off and then get stuck. Maybe being too anal.

What a silly design. Volvo and plastics are a bad combination.