Cheering Protesters Exit Wisconsin Capitol After Judge's Ruling (VIDEO)

Smiling and cheering protesters exited the Wisconsin state capitol on Thursday past a file of state law enforcement officers on Thursday after a judge's ruling that the public could remain in the building only during normal office hours.

Local television captured the event in the state capital of Madison, as 50 protesters, some of who had lived in the capitol building for two weeks, made their way out just after 9:00 p.m., according to WKOW-TV.

Protesters have been fighting a proposal by Republican legislators and Republican Gov. Scott Walker to enact legislation aimed at addressing the state's budget problems.

One contentious part of the law would weaken public employee unions by taking away their ability to collectively bargain on areas outside of their wages such as health and pension benefits.

Dane county court judge John Albert ruled that normal office hours rules should apply once again and that no one is allowed to sleep in the Capitol.

The judge ruled that the state had previously unconstitutionally restricted access to the building, but the order stood.

The protests brought tens of thousands of protesters to the state's capital in recent weeks.

See WKOW-TV video of protesters exiting below.