This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA.
Last Friday, workers at Highland rose up in defense of one of their own when a billboard van, operated by a right-wing media group known for doxxing and harassment, parked at the hospital’s entrance to target a resident physician. The van smeared the doctor with baseless accusations of being a “violent antisemite” for participating in a pro-Palestinian, anti-genocide protest. But this wasn’t just an isolated act — it was part of a coordinated national campaign to intimidate and silence those who dare to speak out for justice.
Highland workers didn’t back down. Staff and community members stood shoulder to shoulder, blocking the van’s message with sheets, crutches, and banners (see photo below). Their defiance was loud and clear: harassment has no place on our campus, and we will not be silenced.
Disappointingly, the CEO’s email response made no mention of how leadership would keep staff safe from these attacks. So the message was clear: it’s up to us. Only our collective resistance, our solidarity, will keep us safe.
Click here to read the article printed in the 06-18-25 Healthcare Newsletter
