The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) has said it will not tolerate the intimidation of reporters covering Scottish independence, warning that the bullying of those with differing opinions to oneself is a “threat to press freedom”.

The union said it was concerned by the increase in abuse – much of it via social media – directed at its members from “both sides of the campaign” and called for it to stop.

Its public appeal came a day after at least 1,000 people demonstrated outside the headquarters of BBC Scotland against what they claimed was biased coverage of the referendum.

At the Glasgow protest on Sunday, demonstrators said that the public broadcaster is institutionally biased in favour of the Union and also called for the sacking of Political Editor Nick Robinson after the journalist came head-to-head with Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond days prior.

Scottish independence: What will happen to key British institutions? Show all 7 1 /7 Scottish independence: What will happen to key British institutions? Scottish independence: What will happen to key British institutions? The 2015 General Election If it votes for independence, Scotland won’t leave the union until 2016 meaning, under current arrangements, that if Scots decide to go it alone they will still vote in the 2015 general election. The possibility of Scotland swinging the vote in favour of the government with which it will negotiate their independence has led some to call for the elections to be delayed. Downing Street has said, however, that it has no plans to postpone the election despite claims a yes vote could lead to a constitutional crisis. AFP Scottish independence: What will happen to key British institutions? The NHS Alex Salmond has said a Yes vote in the referendum is the only way to save Scotland’s National Health Service. This claim was undermined, however, yesterday when research published by the Institute for Fiscal Studies determined that Scotland’s devolved government spent less in real terms on its health service than England. Despite this, the splitting up of the NHS would be more straightforward than other institutions, as it is already managed from Holyrood. Getty Images Scottish independence: What will happen to key British institutions? The BBC The Licence fee in Scotland currently raises around £230m which the Yes campaign says it would use, along with the assets of BBC Scotland, to create a Scottish Broadcasting Service or SBS. It says the SBS would continue to provide original content to the BBC and Scotland would receive access to all current programming, including BBC1, BBC2 and national radio stations. The government has said since February that an independent Scotland would lose any automatic rights to BBC programming. Scottish independence: What will happen to key British institutions? The Pound The No Campaign is hoping that doubts over whether or not Scotland will be able to keep the pound will sway the referendum in its favour. George Osborne has said that the UK will not let Scotland keep the pound if it votes to leave the union and the leader of the Better Together coalition, former Chancellor Alistair Darling, has called the Yes campaign’s suggestion that it keep the currency “mad”. Alex Salmond has claimed repeatedly that Scotland will be able to retain the pound and has said speculation to the contrary is little more than fear mongering. Getty Scottish independence: What will happen to key British institutions? The Army Britain’s involvement in the Iraq war and the stationing of the Trident Nuclear fleet north of the border are unpopular in Scotland. The Scottish Nationalists have railed against the war saying they would scrap Trident and create a new Scottish defence force based on existing Scottish regiments. Scottish independence: What will happen to key British institutions? The Royal Family Scotland would keep the Queen as a head of state under current plans proposed by the Yes campaign, as Elizabeth Queen of Scots. It would also remain part of the Commonwealth. However a second referendum could be held to determine what form a new Scottish state would take. Getty Images Scottish independence: What will happen to key British institutions? Sport Scotland’s Rugby and Football teams would remain as they are if Scotland voted to leave the UK but the British and Irish Lions could be forced into a name change. What would happen to the British Olympic Association also remains up for debate. Scotland’s most successful Olympian Sir Chris Hoy has said he is wary of independence because of the number of Scottish athletes living and training in England and what their status would be. Getty Images

In the lengthy entreaty to campaigners, the NUJ said that personal attacks including some serious threats of violence have been made on journalists “for doing their jobs” and that it “will not accept this treatment” of its members.

The union warned that it will “name and shame individuals and organisations that continue to threaten or bully our members”, and that it has already advised some in making approaches to police.

“More widely, the NUJ asks the leadership on both sides to consider carefully the implications of their attacks on journalists for asking challenging questions,” the union said.

“If that is to be interpreted as bias, and therefore the journalist is deemed to be open to personal criticism and abuse, then the nature of public debate will be debased, and we will all suffer.”

Yes campaigners march towards the BBC Scotland headquarters in Glasgow on 14 September 2014 (Getty)

Paul Holleran, NUJ’s Scottish Organiser, said how Labour MPs claiming that the BBC is guilty of political bias against the Better Together campaign goes to show that factions on both sides of the debate have accused the broadcaster of partiality.

“People have the right to protest if they believe strongly about an issue, however protesters outside the BBC offices in Glasgow this weekend have demanded that journalists be sacked, for allegedly being biased in favour of the union,” Mr Holleran said.

“Journalists in Edinburgh and Aberdeen were abused over the weekend when simply turning up to report on events organised by both sides.

“Robust debate is fine. Pointing out when journalists get their facts wrong is expected and welcomed. But NUJ members believe in a free press, a fair media, with journalists allowed to do their jobs free of intimidation.”