A man at the centre of a High Court battle to save a tree has accused Haringey Council of treating neighbours "like the enemy" with "a show of force".

Andrew Brenner, who lives in Oakfield Road, said he was left traumatised by
by the council's actions after it took possession of a plane tree in front of his home in the very early hours of March 12.

Insurance companies for Mr Brenner and a neighbour claim the tree is causing subsidence to their houses, and Haringey Council says it risks a payout £400,000 if it is not felled.

The council called in December for an injunction banning campaign group Haringey Tree Protectors, as well as "persons unknown", from protesting - and moved to "take possession" on Sunday ahead of a court hearing on Wednesday.

Mr Brenner said 18 security guards came "expecting to meet resistance".

"This was right outside my house," he said. "I heard noises before 5am when I woke up and looked outside my window to see 18 people dressed as police, but not police, unmarked, in circles outside the window like an invading force. 

"There were people putting up scaffolding who were different to them but 
we didn't know who any of them were."

He said a bailiff "eventually" told him that they were there on behalf of Haringey Council.

He said: "It was incredibly intimidating. I was upset already because I was so shocked by the kind of force being demonstrated.

"I came out of my front door at 5am having people confronting me at the base of my path dressed in this aggressive, police-style clothing with cameras, blocking my way and facing me as a threat to them."

He said the feeling that morning was that anyone who came who wasn't them "was a threat and they had to fight away".

"That was absolutely terrifying," he added. "This show of force on behalf of the council is so inappropriate. This is a residential community, it's part of their borough, they are supposed to be looking after our interest but to treat us, the residents here as enemies - they are meant to be our representatives."

Mr Brenner and his next door neighbour both have subsidence affecting their homes dating back more than a decade; the council's action relates to claims with their insurers Aviva and Allianz.

Haringey Council put a notice on the 123-year-old plane tree in April. 

Unable to fell the 123-year-old tree as it was occupied each time it tried, in December Haringey Council asked for a court injunction banning protests, which was adjourned to allow a report from a financial ombudsman to be submitted.

When the council occupied the tree, it did so on the grounds that protesters were in the tree, which Mr Brenner said was "factually inaccurate".

"Since that Sunday I keep thinking what it must be like in a country that's being invaded, in a police state.

"I found it really intimidating, I found it traumatising, I haven't had very much sleep, it's distressing. 

"Most of the people trying to occupy the tree before the court date were women in their 50s, 60s, 70s, their presence was gentle, benign. The security guards came expecting a violent confrontation.

"The council is assuming we are in some way criminals, it's assuming something negative about the community, it's demonising us.

"It's a show of force to stop us from being able to respond".

In the early hours of March 15, Mr Brenner submitted an injunction against Haringey Council chopping down the tree.

This will be heard in the High Court on Wednesday, March 29 after the council failed to dismiss the case today (Friday, March 17.)

He said he did not wish to comment on the hearing.

Haringey Council has been contacted for comment.