The war was declared and planned by the Bethnal Green Mob gang leader, Charlie Jolson, who stirred up the carnage by using Mark Hammond to attack each other gang simultaneously. Other key participants of the war were Jake Jolson and Frank Carter. The main bulk of the war only lasted for a single day in 2002, but it would have long lasting consequences for all involved. It was a bigger war than the Gang War of 2004, which followed two years later.