The war occurred between and and is also known as the London Biker conflict as a large majority of the events occurred in the city of London, Ontario. The Quebec Biker War , the largest motorcycle conflict in history was occurring during the same period in the province of Quebec.
London, Ontario was described by the journalist Jerry Langton as "very much an Outlaws town". On the same day as the funerals for Labrash and Hart, T. Two associates of the Hell's Angels were arrested and charged for the shootings. In , the Hells Angels became seriously involved in trying to patch over the Loners Motorcycle Club which had been a major club in the province for decades.
One of the two men opened fire, spraying Kellestine's truck with bullets. They would plead guilty to "conspiracy to commit bodily harm", and were jailed. When the brothers got out, they would be running the club's Hells Angels London chapter.
The Hells Angels were intent on gaining influence in Southern Ontario especially. In other areas of Ontario, clubs had been quite welcoming of the Angels; but here they faced stiff resistance, their main opposition being their old time rival the Outlaws Motorcycle Club at the time, the largest motorcycle club in the province. As the club's Quebec chapters planned their expansion Eastward in late , London was solidly in Outlaws control and had been since the late s, but in establishing a chapter here, it would create a vital link between Windsor and Kitchener.
The Outlaws London chapter clubhouse was located on Egerton Street East, near the grounds of the Western Fair, was considered a local landmark by the people of the city. Their President, Mario Parente, was an individual who could not be intimidated. By the end of , the Hells Angels Ontario Nomad chapter and the Outlaws began to engage each other in both London and Hamilton , with several brawls and scuffles occurring between the clubs.
