The former policemen handcuffed themselves to the main entrance, not allowing anyone inside, and government ministers had to use side entrances to to get to their offices.
The only official allowed to enter through the main door was the Minister for Human Rights and Refugees, Mirsad Kebo, whom the protesters see as the only minister to have shown understanding for their demands.
Kebo had previously threatened to go on a hunger strike until a solution was found to the protesters' problems.
The protesters represented organisations of former police officers who were made redundant during the process of evaluation of their professional qualifications that was carried out by the former UN police mission, the International Police Task Force (IPTF).
Protest leaders said they would file complaints against the UN and Bosnian officials who had done nothing to protect their right to work.