The victim, Gustavo Alvarez, sued Palo Alto and the local police department for violating his civil rights. After eight months, he and the city reached a settlement, The Mercury News reports.

According to his lawsuit, officers kicked down his front door and dragged him to his car, where they slammed his head against his car windshield. The officers arrested him for driving without a valid licence, but Alvarez claims he was arrested because of his sexual orientation. He says he was “mocked, made fun of and humiliated” for being gay.

Alvarez has a criminal record that includes convictions for grand theft, driving under the influence and burglary. The city and police department say they chose to settle the lawsuit in order to “minimize the burden and expense of federal litigation.” In a statement they say to sharply dispute the vast majority of Alvarez’ claims, and to have concerns about his criminal behaviour. “The City believes that this resolution is in the best interests of all involved,” the statement said.

A video of the arrest, published by The Mercury News, shows the officers making fun of Alvarez’ sexual orientation. “He’s gay”, they laugh.   

The charges against Alvarez were dismissed due to lack of evidence. “This case isn’t going to change the culture within the department overnight,” Alvarez’s attorney said. “But this settlement is definitely a starting point. It sends a message to every one of those officers that there is a problem and the time to change it is now.”