Then we will have to do our best to keep things from escalating further.

Even if we're villains in their eyes, we still owe it to ourselves to consider them allies. We can't build our defenses too much or it will seem as if we're preparing to take them on. Yet if we do nothing it could be seen as arrogance on our part.

[Trying to tell an angry mob that you're doing everything with the best intentions is difficult.]