More than 100 legislators, government ministers, journalists and officials were blockaded inside the Bulgarian Parliament building late Tuesday night and into Wednesday, as the 40th day of largely peaceful street protests in Sofia, the capital, turned confrontational.

Scuffles broke out Tuesday evening when the police tried to clear the crowd to make way for a bus exiting Parliament under heavy guard. Protesters blew whistles, shouted “resign!” and “Mafia!” and threw bottles at the bus, as police officers in riot gear beat them back.

Ultimately the bus was forced to retreat, and by 2 a.m. Wednesday, the protesters had reinforced the blockade with garbage cans, street signs and paving stones, blocking vehicles from leaving any of the exits from Parliament.

Pictures of chaotic confrontations appeared on the evening television news and on Facebook pages, with the national radio reporting that seven protesters were being treated in hospitals for light injuries and Reuters reporting that two police officers were wounded.