Spanish march mourns for jobless

MADRID, May 14 (UPI) -- Thousands of black-clad demonstrators walked through Madrid in a mourning march Thursday for those in Spain who have lost their jobs.

Spain has the highest unemployment rate in Europe at 17 percent, CNN reported. Thursday's protest, organized by the European Trade Confederation, was the first in a series planned for Berlin; Prague, Czech Republic; Luxembourg; Bucharest, Romania, and Birmingham, England.

The Madrid marchers called for more protection for the 4 million unemployed in Spain and the millions more who have lost jobs around Europe.

The confederation plans more demonstrations when elections for the European parliament are held in June. On Wednesday, the parliament released a statement promising stronger regulation for banks and saying it recognizes the "brutal" recession.