The News Minute | November 4, 2014 | 1:10 pm IST

A memorial to Apple Inc. co-founder Steve Jobs was taken down in Russia, a day after the current CEO of the company, Tim Cook came out as gay.

The monument which was shaped like an I-phone was around 2 metres tall and was erected in honour of Steve Jobs in St Petersburg College.

The official statement which followed read: “After Apple CEO Tim Cook publicly called for sodomy, the monument was taken down to abide to the Russian federal law protecting children from information promoting denial of traditional family values”

President Vladimir Putin last year signed a law prohibiting the spread of "gay propaganda" among minors.

Putin said there is no discrimination against gay people in Russia and the law was needed only to protect young people, although members of the gay community disagree and say its passage has increased problems for them.

The law caused outrage and protests in the West, particularly in the run-up to the Winter Olympics hosted by Putin in Sochi during February.