Fred Nile collapses at a Christian rally while protesting Reuben Kaye’s Jesus joke

Christian activist and MP Fred Nile collapsed during a protest outside Channel 10 studios on Saturday.

The 88-year-old politician, who announced his resignation from the NSW Legislative Council last year before changing his mind and running for re-election in this month’s state election, collapsed shortly after speaking to a crowd who gathered to protest controversial comments made by comedian Reuben Kaye at The Project two weeks ago.

An ambulance was called to Saunders Street in Pyrmont on Saturday morning, where paramedics were treating a man for a heat-related illness. He was taken to the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.

About 600 protesters gathered outside the Channel 10 studios and prayed for the network and comedian Reuben Kaye for his joke about Jesus.

Nile spoke briefly and said a short prayer, telling the crowd it was “very encouraging” to see them gathered in protest.

“I give you my personal thanks, but also the thanks of Jesus Christ who is very proud of each of you here today,” said Nile, who has campaigned against same-sex marriage, abortion and availability for his 41-year career of halal food in Australian shops.

His wife Silvana Nile, who sits above her husband on the Revive Australia Party (Fred Nile Alliance) ticket for the NSW House of Lords, then addressed the crowd.

“We must stand up and show our politicians that we uphold our Lord Jesus Christ in this nation,” she said. “My message to you [LGBTQ community] We love her and we’re not here to judge you, we’re not here to judge you. We are here because we stand in the gap and pray for your soul.”

The organizers, a group called Christian Lives Matter, are the same group that marched down King Street last Friday against Kaye’s comments.