For photographers (and videographers) in the U.S., there have been a number of recent situations where the police have stopped the photographer from shooting in certain locations. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has published a paper providing guidance on the rights that photographers have.
Read this information carefully, and remember, while you might have certain rights, to what extent do you want to challenge those rights if confronted by a law enforcement officer?
An additional link on the ACLU website is titled “You Have Every Right To Photograph That Cop.”
Interesting reading!
The whole issue of using tripods in public spaces is another topic that I hope gets clarified by someone some day!