These Asian Jews, who were hostile toward Paul, had been following him. The hostility had started up in Galatia, Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea. Now they spotted Paul in the Temple and emotionally aroused the multitude against him with cries of “Men of Israel, HELP!” Imagine being one of the multitude and hearing this cry. The natural reaction was to assume the words were correct and to react emotionally without waiting to examine the matter dispassionately. Thus the multitude came to the assistance of the Asian Jews.
These Jews had seen Greeks in Paul’s presence the day or so before. Now, blinded with hatred and prejudice, they falsely assumed that the four bald-headed men going into the Temple with Paul were the same Greeks and that they were desecrating the holy place. The Asian Jews created a riot with their accusations, which were evil surmising, for Paul had done no such thing.