Dozens of angry Islamists swarmed the building of an independent Pakistani newspaper in the capital, Islamabad, blocking its entrance for several hours, threatening the staff and demanding its editor be hanged, the paper reported Wednesday.

A simultaneous protest also took place Tuesday evening in the southern port city of Karachi, where the Islamists gathered at the Press Club, demanding that Dawn’s editor Zaffar Abbas and publisher Hameed Haroon be hanged. The demonstrators, who later dispersed, were angered that the English-language paper had reported that the London Bridge attacker was of “Pakistani origin.”

The Islamist protest was condemned by Pakistani rights groups, journalist organizations, politicians and members of civil society advocating for the rights of journalists.

Pakistani journalists said they would hold nationwide rallies on Thursday to condemn the besieging of Dawn’s offices. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan backed the call, expressing its support for media freedoms. (AP)