-- AFP PICTURES OF THE YEAR 2012 -- A police officer stands in a mock gallows outside the Finance Ministry during a protest against budget cuts in Athens, on September 6, 2012. Nearly 2,000 policemen, coast guards and firefighters continued their protests against planned salary cuts, as security forces summoned from around the country attended an evening demonstration on Thursday in Athens.The measures reportedly include a 3.5-billion-euro slash to pensions, health cuts worth 1.47 billion euros and a 517-million-euro cut to defence AFP PHOTO / Kostas Tsironis