It's a hostage situation in his eyes as well. You guys froze his stake and he believes that if he removes his witnesses you will go right back and do it again. You have framed him as the enemy but it was you guys that drew first blood here, and then he responded. Either way, you can't demand he remove his witnesses without also putting in some safeguard that will prevent his stake from being frozen. It's a give and take at this point, not a take take.