Dozens of Kew residents gather to protest the removal of a 175-year-old Bunya pine tree

Kew locals have clashed with police after a protest to halt the removal of a 175-year-old pine tree turned sour.

A historic tree in Kew has begun being lopped down after protesters halted the tree removal.

A man has trespassed onto a the property to protest the removal of the 175-year-old pine tree, as locals clashed with police to stop it being uprooted.

Police had to attended for the second time on Friday morning in the quiet Kew street, so arborist crews were able to begin their work.

A community-led protest began in the leafy eastern suburb in the early hours of the morning after it was revealed Boroondara Council approved a private permit to remove the iconic tree.

Attending officers warned protesters they would be arrested for trespassing on the residential property.

The Bunya pine tree is more than 175-years-old. Picture: Erin Constable

One protester, Leigh Naunton, a member of the Kooyong Climate Alliance, defiantly walked on the property after police left and work began.

“Call the police on me then,” he said as he walked onto the property.

The owner of the residential property has attempted to evict the trespasser but standing over them.

The Bunya pine tree is almost two centuries old and was planted on the Hillcrest Ave property by Thomas Judd, one of Kew’s “founding fathers”.

Dozens of concerned locals have gathered outside the Hillcrest Ave property, airing their distaste at the removal of the tree. Picture: Erin Constable.

A crew of arborists was standing by their truck on Friday morning, waiting to remove the popular pine from the residential property as crowds of angry locals booed.

The arborists began removing the tree at 11.30am.

A man has entered the property to film the arborists at work and protest the tree’s removal.

Police have attended the protest but it’s not known yet whether any arrests have been made.