A London council and a local activist group are in a legal row over a plan to fell a 120-year-old tree.
Haringey Tree Protectors have occupied a plane tree in the borough for almost a year after news it was to be felled.
Haringey council took possession of the tree early on Sunday, sealing off the surrounding area with barriers and deploying security officers.
In a letter to residents, it says the action comes after climbing ropes were installed, but the activists deny this.
The council also told the BBC that "if the tree remains, the council risks facing an insurance claim of more than £400,000", because an insurance company says the tree is responsible for subsidence in two nearby houses.
At a court hearing in December, a judge granted the council a court order giving it access to the tree but warned it against taking steps to fell it until the next hearing, scheduled for Wednesday.
Haringey Tree Protectors told the BBC: "The local community was awoken at 4.30 on Sunday morning to the council building a protective wall around the tree with fences, scaffolding and a viewing tower.
"There were about 22 security guards imprisoning the tree.
'Aggressive and militaristic'
"We are completely shocked by the aggressive and militaristic tactics by the council.
"How can they justify spending thousands of our money to prevent people protesting around a tree?"
Local residents say multiple security guards have been standing by the tree for more than 48 hours.
The activist group says the claim by the council that climbing ropes have been installed is untrue and that "the rope in the tree has always been there and nothing new has been added for the past year".
Haringey council announced it was going to fell the tree last April after threats of litigation from the insurers of two nearby houses.
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