I find this whole episode weird. On the one hand, terrorism issues trump. On the other hand, it is creepy to have the authorities in the US try to suppress regular citizens.
I think the first thing I would do is ask permission and save myself the trouble of starting things off on the wrong foot. It doesn’t make it right but there’s no rational point in making the situation worse.
The problem as I see it is the fact that our nation isn’t secure at the perimeter so we try to make up for it in the interior.
I’ve worked in factories that didn’t allow cameras and would fire anyone caught with one.