President Obama said Thursday that the Facebook live torture video that has been dominating news and social media in Chicago is “despicable” and suggested it was a hate crime.

“What we have seen as surfacing, I think, are a lot of problems that have been there a long time,” Mr. Obama, a longtime resident of Chicago, told CNN affiliate WBBM. “Whether it’s tensions between police and communities, hate crimes of the despicable sort that has just now recently surfaced on Facebook.”

The president said the “good news” is that “the next generation that’s coming behind us … have smarter, better, more thoughtful attitudes about race.”

Four suspects have been charged with the attack on a special-needs teenage boy that was streamed on Facebook Live.

Jordan Hill, 18; Tesfaye Cooper; 18; Brittany Covington, 18; and Tanishia Covington, 24, have each been charged with a hate crime, felony aggravated kidnapping, aggravated unlawful restraint and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.

Video of the torture has sparked outrage nationwide. Footage showed the 18-year-old victim cowering in a corner, his mouth bound with plastic. One attacker cut his scalp with a knife; the victim was punched and kicked repeatedly.

“*F*ck Donald Trump!” one attacker shouted in the video. “F*ck white people!”

Police said the teen was tied up for several hours. He is recovering from his injuries at home with his parents.

Sign up for Daily Newsletters Manage Newsletters

Copyright © 2020 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.