The Price of Freedom

When the slave girl's owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities. Bringing them before the chief magistrates, they said, "These men are seriously disturbing our city. They are Jews and promoting customs that are not legal as Roman to adopt or practice." 

Then the mob joined in the attack against them, and the chief magistrate stripped off their clothes and ordered them to be beaten with rods. After they had inflicted many blows on them, they threw them in jail, ordering the jailer to keep them securely guarded. Receiving such an order he put them into the inner prison and secured their feet in the stocks. Acts 16:19-24

Setting someone free may not be your best day. We see here no opportunity for Paul and Silas to speak. An angry crowd lay into them just because they were angry. The mob is always ready and willing to join in an attack without knowing any details, just that someone is mad at the people being attacked.

A long time ago, in my 20s I had a lesson. I used to side with loved ones against those who upset them, until one day I met the person who was supposed to have done the upsetting and heard their side. Suddenly I knew I had taken sides without hearing the full story. Then and there I decided to never do that again. I have stuck to this pretty much throughout my life and whilst those who become upset with others don't appreciate me not siding with them, I can be a calm in the midst of the storm.

Deciding not to be part of a mob is a good move. Otherwise, you could find yourself caught up in a flood of emotion without knowing the why, it can lead to doing and saying stuff that is totally wrong and that you will later regret. Stay cool!