But For the Crowds

“Most of the multitude spread their garments along the way, while others strewed the way with branches cut down from the trees. And the multitudes that went before him and that followed after him cried aloud, Hosanna for the son of David, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, Hosanna in heaven above. When he reached Jerusalem, the whole city was in a stir; Who is this? they asked.  And the multitude answered, This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth, in Galilee…” – Matthew 21:8-11

And then:

"Pilate said to them, What am I to do, then, with Jesus, who is called Christ? They said, Let him be crucified. And when the governor said, Why, what wrong has he done? they cried louder than ever, Let him be crucified. And so, finding that his good offices went for nothing, and the uproar only became worse, Pilate sent for water and washed his hands in full sight of the multitude, saying as he did so, I have no part in the death of this innocent man; it concerns you only. And the whole people answered, His blood be upon us, and upon our children. And with that he released Barabbas as they asked; Jesus he scourged, and gave him up to be crucified...” – Matthew 27:22-26

Same city, same crowd, just a few days apart. Crowds can be pretty readily goaded, it seems, into taking unwise actions.