Intimidation to cause physical harm

An entire group of people with 6-7 of them involved, who used to be friends are now planning collectively to harm me. They have been indirectly verbally threatening me. I was not willing to accept that the people whom I have know for many years now, are planning a collective attack on me. So I have been spending time with them but today it was very clear that they are actually trying to harm me when they bought bat and kept it beside me. I was afraid I still am but I don't want to get injured or die because of them. I need protection and legal assistance. I feel really very threatened. I have not told this at home because this woul cause unnecessary tensions and there already are many. Please help me.