Characters in protest and officers in deadlock (5-3)
I believe the answer is:
stand-off
'deadlock' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'characters in protest and officers' is the subsidiary indication.
'characters in' says the answer is hidden in the clue.
'standoff' can be found hidden inside 'protest and officers'.
'in' is the link.
(Other definitions for stand-off that I've seen before include "Deadlock between two matched opponents" , "Deadlock - keep away (8;5-3)" , "Rugby halfback" , "Deadlock between equal opponents" , "Impasse" .)