The US ‘danger tourist’ arrested in India for leaving a can of Coke for an uncontacted tribe has a history of making controversial comments and was once a member of ‘Gays 4 Trump’, DailyMail.com can exclusively reveal.

Mykhailo ‘Mishka’ Polyakov, 24, was collared by police on March 31 in the Andaman Islands after he landed on North Sentinel Island which is home to the Sentinelese – an isolated tribe of around 200 people.

Police later seized Go-Pro footage of the landing filmed for Polyakov’s YouTube channel that also featured footage of a visit to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan earlier this year.

Now DailyMail.com can reveal the 24-year-old has a history of provocative stunts and is also facing legal trouble in his native US, due to a string of missed court dates over a speeding fine.

Blonde Polyakov grew up in Tucson in southern Arizona, where his US Department of Agriculture scientist father Viktor, 56, still lives. He moved to the Phoenix suburb of Scottsdale a year ago before leaving to travel to Afghanistan at the start of January.

When contacted by DailyMail.com, Viktor, who has not traveled to be with his son in the Andaman Islands, said he was not interested in commenting on his son’s plight, despite him facing up to five years behind bars. 

Prior to his move, Mishka had been studying at the University of Arizona in Tucson, where he obtained a degree in Philosophy, Politics, Economics and Law [PPEL] and was the Vice-President of the school’s PPEL Club.

But his interest in politics and debate long preceded his studies, with an archived news report in student publication The Arizona Daily Wildcat showing he had turned up to a women’s rights march in 2017 waving a Gays 4 Trump banner.

Mykhailo Polyakov traveled to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan last year and posed for pictures with the group's weapons. He was arrested after making an illegal landing on the island home of the hostile North Sentinel people

Mykhailo Polyakov traveled to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan last year and posed for pictures with the group’s weapons. He was arrested after making an illegal landing on the island home of the hostile North Sentinel people

The North Sentinel people are known for defending their island against all visitors. There's multiple instances of wanderers being killed for venturing on or too close to the island by a barrage of arrows

The North Sentinel people are known for defending their island against all visitors. There’s multiple instances of wanderers being killed for venturing on or too close to the island by a barrage of arrows

His father Viktor, 56, said he was not interested in commenting on Polyakov's plight and remains in the states while his son is behind bars in India

His father Viktor, 56, said he was not interested in commenting on Polyakov’s plight and remains in the states while his son is behind bars in India

The then Catalina Foothills High School student told the outlet: ‘I’m for gay rights, but against the liberal left. I want to clarify things.’

A friend who attended the march with him was clutching a placard that read ‘Build That Wall!’

A year later, in July 2018, Polyakov was part of a mock prosecution that saw him take the role of defense attorney for a hypothetical defendant who had made a string of social media posts that made his ex-girlfriend uncomfortable.

Speaking to the Arizona Republic, Polyakov said: ‘I didn’t think the prosecution’s arguments held any water.

‘I thought it would be too much of an infringement on free speech… I thought it would set a bad precedent.’

At college, Polyakov made a habit of sharing his political views even while working at Dirtbags – a cozy student hangout that backs on to the University of Arizona’s ‘Greek Row’ street of frat houses.

According to his former boss, Polyakov was ‘confrontational’ about his views on race and politics from day one and would frequently air his thoughts on controversial topics.

The bar owner, who asked not to be named, said he wasn’t particularly surprised by Polyakov’s arrest and described his former employee as ‘an idiot’ for attempting to contact the Sentinelese.

Polyakov grew up in this house in Tucson, Arizona, where his father Viktor still lives

Polyakov grew up in this house in Tucson, Arizona, where his father Viktor still lives

The Sentinelese have a history of aggressively defending their island, which they have inhabited for more than 30,000 years

The Sentinelese have a history of aggressively defending their island, which they have inhabited for more than 30,000 years 

While at the University of Arizona, Polyakov obtained a degree in Philosophy, Politics, Economics and Law [PPEL] and was the Vice-President of the school's PPEL Club

While at the University of Arizona, Polyakov obtained a degree in Philosophy, Politics, Economics and Law [PPEL] and was the Vice-President of the school’s PPEL Club

Polyakov made a habit of sharing his political views even while working at Dirtbags – a cozy student hangout that backs on to the University of Arizona's 'Greek Row' street of frat houses

Polyakov made a habit of sharing his political views even while working at Dirtbags – a cozy student hangout that backs on to the University of Arizona’s ‘Greek Row’ street of frat houses

He said: ‘When I heard he had been arrested, I thought ‘Holy s***. He’s an idiot! Who goes halfway across the world to meet people who might eat you?

‘You didn’t hear it from me, but he’s got a couple of screws loose.’

Despite his political outbursts, Polyakov was generally a quiet presence during his shifts bussing tables at the student bar – a job he held for a year before leaving last summer.

His former boss said his looks have changed dramatically since then, telling DailyMail.com: ‘I didn’t recognize him [in recent photos] at first. He has more hair now. Take the beard off and he’d look eight years younger.’

Although a ‘book smart’ and successful student, Polyakov appears to have been less equipped for the real world and racked up a string of traffic violations in his native Tucson – including parking next to a fire hydrant and parking too close to the curb.

The former attracted a fine of $89 which was later increased to $194 after he repeatedly failed to pay up.

More seriously, he was caught speeding in Scottsdale last December and fined $311 which he has also not paid.

Court records seen by DailyMail.com show he has repeatedly missed court appearances in the case, the first on January 13 and the second on April 1.

His boss told DailyMail.com that he had a 'couple of screws loose' and he wasn't surprised by the arrest. He also said he was genuinely quiet while bussing tables

His boss told DailyMail.com that he had a ‘couple of screws loose’ and he wasn’t surprised by the arrest. He also said he was genuinely quiet while bussing tables

The former student turned thrill-seeking YouTuber has multiple traffic tickets that have been left unpaid, including a $311 speeding ticket which he didn't intend multiple court dates for

The former student turned thrill-seeking YouTuber has multiple traffic tickets that have been left unpaid, including a $311 speeding ticket which he didn’t intend multiple court dates for 

While attending high school Polyakov turned up to a women's rights march waving a Gays 4 Trump banner

While attending high school Polyakov turned up to a women’s rights march waving a Gays 4 Trump banner

He began his journey to the forbidden island on March 26 on an inflatable boat equipped with GPS and a camera

He began his journey to the forbidden island on March 26 on an inflatable boat equipped with GPS and a camera

Polyakov looks set to miss further dates in the speeding case due to being locked up in Port Blair, the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

The wayward adventurer seemingly teased his visit to North Sentinel Island five months ago when he posted a cartoon image of a Tintin style adventurer, accompanied by a small brown dog, sailing a small boat towards a desert island. 

He captioned it: ‘A little Columbus day teaser for the fans.’

Then on March 28, he began his journey to the hostile island. Equipped with an inflatable boat, GPS, and a camera, he arrived in Port Blair and sailed across a 25-mile straight from Kurma Dera Beach to North Sentinel Island on a makeshift craft. 

According to cops in India, Polyakov arrived on the inflatable boat on March 29 and arrived around 10am.

Once there, he allegedly spent an hour floating close to the shore and blowing a whistle to attract the attention of the Sentinelese.

When none appeared, he then landed on the island for around five minutes and left the tribespeople gifts consisting of a can of Coke and a coconut.

He also collected sand samples and filmed his actions while on the island for around five minutes before returning. 

When he arrived at the island, he blew a whistle to attract the tribe and when they didn't come he ventured onto the beach leaving behind a coke can and a coconut

When he arrived at the island, he blew a whistle to attract the tribe and when they didn’t come he ventured onto the beach leaving behind a coke can and a coconut

The Indian Navy's Cora Divh patrols the island. Fisherman in the area spotted Polyakov and alerted authorities who arrested him and seized his boat

The Indian Navy’s Cora Divh patrols the island. Fisherman in the area spotted Polyakov and alerted authorities who arrested him and seized his boat

Polyakov is currently locked up as authorities question the hotel staff at the place he was staying in Port Blair

Polyakov is currently locked up as authorities question the hotel staff at the place he was staying in Port Blair 

He returned to the island around 7pm that same day, where he was spotted by local fishermen who then reported his activities to police.

Polyakov was arrested and officers seized his boat, an outboard motor and a GoPro containing video of his landing on the restricted island.

‘We are getting more details about him and his intention to visit the reserved tribal area,’ Andaman and Nicobar Islands’ Director General of Police told the Press Trust of India.

Investigators are also trying to identify where else Polyakov visited during his stay in the region and are ‘questioning the hotel staff where he was staying in Port Blair’.

Indian authorities prohibit visits to North Sentinel Island in an effort to protect the Sentinelese tribe from outside threats.

The Indian Navy patrols the perimeter of the island to ensure its isolation. 

Caroline Pearce, the director of indigenous rights group Survival International branded Polyakov’s attempt to visit the island as ‘reckless and idiotic’.

‘This person’s actions not only endangered his own life, they put the lives of the entire Sentinelese tribe at risk,’ she said in a statement provided to DailyMail.com.

Indian authorities prohibit visits to North Sentinel Island in an effort to protect the Sentinelese tribe from outside threats which could bring diseases and wipe out the tribe since they're not protected against the flu and measles

Indian authorities prohibit visits to North Sentinel Island in an effort to protect the Sentinelese tribe from outside threats which could bring diseases and wipe out the tribe since they’re not protected against the flu and measles

The Sentinelese have a history of aggressively defending the territory - located in India's Andaman and Nicobar archipelago - which they have inhabited for an estimated 30,000 to 38,000 years

The Sentinelese have a history of aggressively defending the territory – located in India’s Andaman and Nicobar archipelago – which they have inhabited for an estimated 30,000 to 38,000 years

‘It’s very well known by now that uncontacted peoples have no immunity to common outside diseases like flu or measles, which could completely wipe them out.’

The Sentinelese have a history of aggressively defending their island, which they have inhabited for more than 30,000 years.

Anthropologists and explorers made successive attempts to establish friendly contact with the islanders throughout the 20th century.

While the islanders would often accept gifts brought for them by the visitors, they often welcomed visitors with a hail of arrows – forcing them to retreat.

In 1974, a National Geographic film crew’s expedition to the island produced a dramatic set of photographs of Sentinelese shooting arrows at the team, one of which became lodged in the director’s thigh as they retreated.

The article which accompanied the pictures characterized the islanders as a people for whom ‘arrows speak louder than words’.

In 2004, after surviving the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami that killed more than a quarter million people, an Indian government helicopter observed several islanders to ensure their safety.

Responding to the help, tribe members were chillingly photographed shooting arrows, throwing spears and launching stones at the choppers to deter them.

More recently, in 2018, American missionary John Chau was killed when he illegally attempted to make contact with the tribe

More recently, in 2018, American missionary John Chau was killed when he illegally attempted to make contact with the tribe

In 2006, two Indian fishermen whose boat inadvertently drifted into their waters were killed by the island warriors.

According to witnesses on a nearby fishing boat, the pair were brutally hacked to death with axes.

A few days after the killings, their bodies were reportedly hooked up on bamboo sticks like ‘a kind of scarecrow’, according to an Indian police chief who shared details of the incident.

They were buried in shallow graves on the beach and authorities’ attempts to retrieve their bodies proved futile.

More recently, in 2018, American missionary John Chau was killed when he illegally attempted to make contact with the tribe.

Chau, a graduate of Oral Roberts University, from Vancouver, Washington, was attempting to convert the tribe members to Christianity but was shot to death in a barrage of arrows as he went ashore.

A fisherman who had been aiding the missionary said that they had watched in horror from a distance as the tribesmen dragged his body away with a rope around his neck. 

His body remains on the island despite multiple attempts by Indian authorities to retrieve it.

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Read more at DailyMail.co.uk