Go along to get along was the smart thing to do...
Whether it was the right thing to do is open for debate...
The Dali Lama is just another bloke who pulls on his BVD's one leg at
a time... He is not entitled to special protection under the moving TFR
following the President, VP, etc... His airplane is entitled to take
the active at a public airport when it's turn comes in the 'first come,
first served' sequence as specified in the FAR and AIM...
Every time we in GA allow ourselves to be pushed around by the
'authorities' we simply add another brick to the prison they are
building around us, and we allow the police officers involved to
strengthen their personal belief that their badge gives them the right
to "accost and detain" anyone in public areas without either a warrant
or belief that person has broken the law... An action that the
Constitution and the Amendments specifically forbid...
Anyway, I may have have done the same as you, depending upon my level
of testosterone at that moment... Or, I may have rhetorically asked
them if I were piloting a scheduled airliner with 400 paying passengers
would I have to wait on the Dali Lama - and then advised them this is a
public airport, I am the public, and I am using it now... The Dali
Lama's airplane can take it's turn as federal regulations specify... I
might have also pointed out the the Dali Lama represents a religion and
by prohibiting my use of public spaces because of his presence the
police as an arm of the state are promoting a religion, an act
specifically forbidden by both Federal Court and US Supreme Court
rulings...
And I probably would have gotten in hot water, again. sigh

denny