As a geologist, yes you are legally supposed to get permits before you mess with rocks. You then bring the permit to a ranger and they laugh at you for bothering to get one (this has literally happened to me, the rock I took is next to me as I type this).
Honestly, this whole struggle sesh reeks of the personal responsibility side of environmentalism. Its dumb to lecture a comrade for moving a rock when :porky-happy: is chugging along as always. Similar energy as libs telling you to :vote: lol