A ‘power of arrest’ notice was placed on the tree overnight on Tuesday, 4th April

Credit Julian Hodgson

Haringey Council has gained an injunction against protesters seeking to protect a tree, after the High Court ruled last week that the council’s decision to axe the tree was lawful.

The tree on Oakfield Road has been at the epicentre of a furious debate since the council decided to fell the tree in April 2022, after claims by insurance company Allianz that its roots are causing subsidence in the street’s homes.

Local activist groups have been campaigning against the decision, with a local resident arguing in court that the move is unlawful. This was overruled by the judge on Wednesday, 29th March.

On the night of Tuesday, 4th April, the council placed a legal notice on the tree warning that they have ‘power of arrest’ against anyone deemed likely to protest to prevent the tree felling.

In a statement released by campaign group Haringey Tree Protectors (HTP), they said: “The legalities of [last week’s] hearing were limiting and hinged on whether Haringey Council’s decision to cut down the tree in Oakfield Road had remained consistent and rational since April 2022.

“However, evidence presented by the householder and Haringey Tree Protectors exposed how Aviva home insurers were in breach of an agreement signed in 2018 to underpin the house in question and to leave the tree standing.”

Earlier in March, the council caused controversy when they installed a watchtower and 24-hour security guards at the tree, prompting speculations around the costs and further fanning the flames of the dispute. Cllr Scott Emery, opposition spokesperson for the environment, claimed the “aggressive action” cost “thousands of pounds to local taxpayers”.

Gio Iozzi, a representative of HTP, said: ‘”Haringey have of course been ludicrously over the top regarding the security and response to potential tree occupation in a residential area, a tree which has not been actively protected since the autumn.

“We always knew an injunction order was coming to the tree unless the courts had decided to adjourn again because the ombudsman ruling had still not been published at the time of our last hearing. The fortress structure and show of power made it impossible to protest at the tree [and] so did the massive security occupation they carried out, so a huge misjudgement and waste of money. Regarding the recent signage on the tree outlining the local county court order, people are free to choose what they want to do in response, but the penalties of the injunction are potentially very harmful to anyone breaking it.”

Members of HTP and the Red Rebel Brigade gathered on Sunday, 2nd April to bid what may be a final farewell to the tree.

However, the homeowner involved in last week’s hearing has now made an application to appeal the court’s decision, preventing any further action by the council until 17th April.

Gio added: “We were really hoping that the ombudsman’s report would be published by our last hearing so the due process would have been followed through, unfortunately we are still waiting for this. We are desperately hoping that the private appeal lodged at the high court will be upheld.”

The council has been approached for comment.

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