If someone is publicly doing something to intentionally try and piss you off, don’t react to them.
Sounds cliche, I know, but deal with them quietly. Ignore. File a report. Etc. Don’t let them know you’ve even seen what they’ve done, however, and most importantly, don’t try to make a big deal over it, because that WILL make things worse for you.
When someone is trying to instigate shit, they are trying to get reactions. Each reaction they get is another opportunity for them to continue. The best way to deal with these people is to cut off their opportunities, especially if you can do it without them realizing. (Thus when they try to do so, they find it to be a fruitless effort.)
No, it doesn’t matter how offensive they were. If anything the more offended you are, the more important it is that you follow this advice, because the fact that you’re offended won’t make them stop. This applies to literally everything, down from someone just attacking you for your work to commentary that’s an attempt to be triggering.
