The modern dilemma for millennial snowflakes: when university safe spaces are no longer safe from threatening behavior such as raising one's hand, where can one go to feel truly safe?

According to the UK Telegraph, a student spoke out against safe space rules becoming “a tool for the hard left to use when they disagree with people,” following an incident last week in which she was threatened with being thrown out of a meeting after being accused of violating those rules - by raising her hand.

Imogen Wilson, 22, vice-president for academic affairs at Edinburgh University Students’ Association (EUSA), was subject to a “safe space complaint” over her “inappropriate hand gesture” during a student council meeting.

According to the association’s rules, student council meetings should be held in a “safe space environment” where "discriminatory language and actions" are prohibited. Such "actions" include “refraining from hand gestures which denote disagreement” or “in any other way indicating disagreement with a point or points being made.”

According to the safe space rules, only gestures that indicate agreement are “permissible” -- you read that right -- and even then only as long as “these gestures are generally understood and not used in an intimidating manner.” “Disagreements should only be evident through the normal course of debate,” the rules state.

Wilson raised her hand in disagreement after being accused by another speaker of failing to respond to an open letter, which Wilson claims she did. A complaint was made against her for this inappropriate action, and a vote was held on whether she should be removed from the room. By a count of 33 to 18, Wilson was allowed to stay (gee thanks, totalitarians), but she was threatened with a complaint again later after shaking her head while someone was speaking.

Wilson later said she believed that such rules were “a little extreme” (you think?) and had been used as a “political” tool against her after she spoke out against anti-Semitism.

“I totally do believe in safe space and the principles behind it,” she said:

“It’s supposed to enhance free speech and not shut it down, and give everyone a chance to feel like they can contribute. Safe space is essential for us to have a debate where everyone can speak, but it can’t become a tool for the hard left to use when they disagree with people.”

"At that meeting we were discussing BDS, the movement to boycott Israel. I made a long and passionate speech against us subscribing to this, on the basis it encourages anti-Semitism on campus. It was only after I made that speech that someone made a safe space complaint. I can’t help but think it was a political move against me.

“Later on in the meeting, someone threatened me with a second complaint because I was shaking my head – but when I was addressing the room about my worries about Jewish students, there were plenty of people shaking their heads and nothing happened.”

Another Edinburgh university student complained it was “pathetic” that hand gestures were “censored” and has started a petition calling on the student union to “reinstate and defend free speech.” The petition, which has garnered more than 1,000 signatures, says: “We are adults, we do not need condescension or safeguarding.”

Welcome to the modern university, where free speech is allowed only when you indicate agreement.