A blue city shakes off politics over US forward Balogun's red card controversy

SEATTLE: A city known for angry protests, grunge and wearing head-to-toe black was transformed into a harmonious sea of red, white and blue on Monday.

Not even the intervention of President Donald J. Trump could divide United States fans in Seattle ahead of the country’s World Cup last-16 match against Belgium.

Seattle is a blue city - it traditionally votes Democrat in presidential elections and has a socialist mayor. 

As Trump drew global criticism for asking FIFA President Gianni Infantino to reverse the red card suspension of U.S. player Folarin Balogun, local fans were willing to put aside their political differences to see the star striker play. 

“I don't think soccer is blue or red. I think it's a national sport," said Brad Lawliss, 57, from Portland, Oregon. "Actually, there's more soccer players in this country than there are of any other sport. It's actually a united soccer nation.”

Happy marches to the stadium have become part of the World Cup game day rituals in this host city, which has transformed large swathes of its rundown waterfront into fan zones that have grown in size as the U.S. have progressed through the tournament.

Thousands lined blocks on Washington Street to sing and chant "U-S-A" ahead of the game. Those who had tickets continued their march through the city to the stadium. Others crowded into pens with screens on the waterfront, and bars and restaurants. 

Michael Scott, 54, and Eric Cutts, 47, caught the ferry in from Seattle’s suburbs. Like a dozen other fans interviewed by Reuters, they said Balogun reinstatement was the right decision — and that he should not have been red-carded in the first place.

"I didn't like the fact that we had to have a political twist to this decision," said Scott. "I