We did the regular just-in-town Santa Monica Beach outing – park in Two, hit the pier, walk to Venice, back to the car via the Promenade, go to Beverly Hills and/or Melrose if there’s time, etc..
A guy on the pier told us this display goes up every weekend to honor the American soldiers who have died in Iraq. It looked like an anti-war demonstration to me but the guy, an ex-GI, didn’t seem to share that opinion.